Former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has denied allegations that he is secretly supporting President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso made the clarification during an interview on Global TV on Wednesday night, stating that rumours linking him to Tinubu’s political interests had been circulating since his time in the New Nigeria People’s Party.
His reaction followed claims by Sanusi Bature, spokesperson to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, who alleged that Kwankwaso had been indirectly working to support Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Bature also claimed that Kwankwaso supported Tinubu during the 2023 elections and had recently sought a direct meeting with the president, though the meeting reportedly did not happen.
Responding to the allegations, Kwankwaso dismissed the claims as baseless, insisting that neither he nor his political associates were working for Tinubu or any other politician.
According to him, his political focus is solely on the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Kwankwaso acknowledged that Tinubu remains his longtime friend and political associate but stressed that friendship does not mean they share the same political ideology or agenda.
The former Minister of Defence further argued that the president may not fully understand the extent of the country’s current challenges because people surrounding him are allegedly shielding him from the reality on ground.
He claimed that many individuals close to the president contribute to the nation’s problems rather than offering honest advice, adding that the ruling All Progressives Congress has focused heavily on attracting governors into its fold.
On May 3, Kwankwaso and Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress, where discussions have reportedly been ongoing regarding a possible joint presidential ticket for 2027.
However, Bature had argued that any alliance between the two politicians would not last.
Addressing the matter, Kwankwaso explained that his political camp backed Obi because they considered him the most suitable southern candidate for the presidency.
He disclosed that leaders from the six geopolitical zones met after joining the coalition and collectively agreed to support a southern candidate, eventually settling on Obi based on their assessment.
Speaking about his influence in northern Nigeria and his role in mobilising support for Obi in the North-East and North-West, Kwankwaso said the coalition still has enough time to engage Nigerians before the 2027 elections.
He added that rather than boasting about popularity, his group is concentrating on grassroots mobilisation and convincing citizens despite what he described as misinformation from political opponents.
Kwankwaso expressed confidence that Nigerians would eventually distinguish between genuine political actors and those spreading false narratives as the election period approaches.