NDC Convention: Kwankwaso backs zoning of presidential ticket to South

Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former presidential candidate and ex-governor of Kano State, has said he accepts the decision of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, despite the move ruling him out of emerging as the party’s flag bearer for the election.

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Mr Kwankwaso, who had indicated interest in contesting for the party’s presidential ticket, said the decision to zone the ticket to the South would allow the region to complete its turn in producing Nigeria’s leadership.

He stated this while addressing delegates at the NDC national convention held in Abuja on Saturday.

“It is therefore with great sense of unity and solidarity, that as a loyal party member, I support the decision to zone the presidential ticket of the NDC to the South, so that it allows the region to complete its turn in producing national leadership,” he said.

Mr Kwankwaso served his first term as governor of Kano State between May 1999 and May 2003. He later served as Minister of Defence under former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2007.

He returned as governor for a second term from 2011 to 2015, during which he strengthened his political structure known as the Kwankwassiya movement.

In August 2013, Mr Kwankwaso was among seven serving governors who formed the G-7 faction within the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party. In November of the same year, he and five members of the group defected to the newly-formed All Progressives Congress (APC), then the major opposition party.

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In October 2014, he contested the APC presidential primary using his strong political base in Kano. Former President Muhammadu Buhari eventually won the primary and later emerged victorious in the 2015 general election.

Following a fallout with his former deputy governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, Mr Kwankwaso left the APC and returned to the PDP. He contested the PDP presidential primary in 2018 but finished fourth, while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s candidate. Atiku later lost the 2019 presidential election.

In 2022, Mr Kwankwaso defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), where he secured the party’s presidential ticket. In the 2023 presidential election, he and his running mate, Isaac Idahosa, finished fourth with nearly 1.5 million votes.

He officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in March but resigned from the party last week to join the NDC, where he had sought to contest for the presidential ticket. The ADC had been part of a coalition formed to challenge the APC.

ALSO READ: Kwankwaso opens up on exit from ADC, future in NDC

With the NDC’s decision to zone the presidential ticket to the South, the chances of Peter Obi emerging as the party’s presidential candidate have brightened, while Mr Kwankwaso may now be considered for the vice-presidential slot.

Pledge to abide by party’s decision

Mr Kwankwaso said the zoning arrangement presents an opportunity for national healing and assured delegates that his political structure would work in line with the party’s decision.

“This represents a true opportunity for true national healing. We shall work in abidance with the party’s agreement to ensure fairness and federal character in all ramifications,” he said.

He added that the party would prioritise leadership devoid of ethnic and religious bias.

“This party shall also ensure to change the way things are done today by prioritising leadership without ethnic jingoism and religious favouritism.

“The leadership standard we shall set will therefore restore Nigeria’s dignity and will guarantee that our citizens at home and the diaspora will be treated with respect and dignity. Lastly, we can only achieve that by continuing to mobilise to register with INEC to vote, and the NDC to belong to this noble cause. Please register, today,” Mr Kwankwaso.