The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Kwankwaso

  • NDC Denies Rumors of Dickson Plotting to Sabotage Obi, Kwankwaso Ticket

    An image of Peter Obi, Kwankwaso and Seriake Dickson

    The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has denied allegations that its National Leader, Seriake Dickson, was plotting to sabotage the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, during the 2027 general election.

    The NDC national spokesperson, Osa Director, in a statement on Monday, described the allegations as “malicious lies.”

    Mr Director said contrary to the claims, Mr Dickson has no plans to work for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 election.

    “Our National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, is not a front for the ruling APC or anyone else.

    “He has no secret or open deal whatsoever with the ruinous and diabolical APC regime,” he said.

    He stressed that the party would have chosen to ignore what he termed “the beer-parlour talk and murmurs” circulating on social media, but decided to debunk it to “prevent people from believing lies”.

    “Anyone who knows Senator Dickson’s public service record, and is in his right senses, will not associate him with any under-the-table arrangement to sabotage his own party and its presidential candidate and running mate, Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” he stated.

    The NDC spokesperson argued that Mr Dickson, a serving senator, could have taken “the easy way out” by joining the APC.

    “Instead, he chose the hard, honourable path of building a party with like-minds; a party that will liberate Nigeria from the vice grip of the buccaneers currently in power,” he said.

    Mr Director stressed that Mr Dickson’s “consistent, courageous and principled position” in the Senate for over seven years was a clear testament to his strength of character and unwavering solidarity with suffering Nigerians.

    “Consequently, it is wicked, vexatious and mendacious to associate his name with any compromise with the ruling APC and its key drivers.

    “We are fully aware that these unfounded and baseless allegations are emanating from the ranks of our political opponents, who are envious of the growing popularity, acceptability and organic spread of the NDC across the length and breadth of Nigeria,” he claimed.

    From AD, PDP, and NDC

    Mr Dickson began his political career in the now defunct Alliance for Democracy. The politician later served as the AD chairman in Bayelsa State from 1998 to 2000.

    He subsequently served as the party’s national legal adviser in 2000.

    In 2005, Mr Dickson joined the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before emerging as the commissioner for justice and attorney-general of Bayelsa State under the administration of the then-Governor Goodluck Jonathan from 2006 to 2007.

    He was subsequently elected as a House of Representatives member for Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2012 under the PDP platform and later served as Bayelsa governor from 2012 to 2020.

    The politician won a senatorial election in 2020 to represent Bayelsa West District under the PDP platform. He won re-election in 2023.

    In March this year, he left the PDP and joined the NDC, which he founded ahead of the 2027 general election. Premium Times

  • 2027: Obi-Kwankwaso Movement Unveils 59-Member Campaign Council

    2027: Obi-Kwankwaso Movement Unveils 59-Member Campaign Council

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has constituted a 59-member Presidential Campaign Council as it steps up preparations for the 2027 general elections.

    The council, unveiled on Thursday, comprises zonal and state coordinators, as well as directors overseeing mobilisation, women affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs, administration, procurement, information technology and other areas.

    The structure covers Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, with coordinators appointed for the 36 states.

    John Ughulu, the movement’s Director-General, will lead the campaign council as Director-General, while National Secretary Saadatu Sani is also part of the leadership.

    The six zonal coordinators are Suleiman Abubakar for the North-Central, Hashimu Dungurawa for the North-West, Amadu Gwambe for the North-East, Dr Adebayo Adefolaseye for the South-West, Christopher Ighodaro for the South-South and El-Shaddai Ikeh for the South-East.

    The movement also appointed Ibrahim Jabir as coordinator for the Federal Capital Territory, alongside coordinators for the 36 states.

    Other members of the campaign council include Sabo Gashua as Director of Grassroots Mobilisation, Glory Adayi as Director of Women Affairs, Kabir Yahaya as Director of Contact and Engagement, and Abdumumini Tijjani as Director of Mobilisation.

    Yusuf Mani was appointed Director of Special Duties, while Peace Daful will oversee Procurement. Prof Charles Nwekeaku was named Director of South-Eastern Town Hall, with Sunmisola Adebayo appointed Director of Information Technology.

    Kingdom Okere will head Legal Affairs, Abiodun Dabiri will oversee Strategy and Planning, while retired CSP Richard Enemona was appointed Director of Security and Intelligence. Aisha Abdulrahaman will serve as Director of Administration.

    In a message to the newly appointed members, Sani described their selection as a responsibility to serve the country and urged them to take the movement’s message to communities across Nigeria.

    She said the council would be expected to communicate the movement’s message from the state level down to local government areas, wards and communities.

    Sani added that the movement was driven by a national vision rather than the personal interests of individual politicians.

    She said the campaign council would require discipline, strategic thinking, grassroots mobilisation and effective communication to carry out its assignment.

    The movement said the council was established as part of efforts to strengthen its nationwide organisation and coordinate activities ahead of the 2027 elections.

    The development follows the movement’s earlier decision to retain its independent organisational structure rather than merge with another political organisation ahead of the election.

  • Kwankwaso Urges Atiku to Quit 2027 Presidential Race

    Kwankwaso Urges Atiku to Quit 2027 Presidential Race

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.

    Kwankwaso, who is the running mate to NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, made the appeal on Monday while speaking at his Abuja residence during a meeting with members of the Fulani Farmers Association.

    Speaking in Hausa, the former Kano State governor appealed to the group to advise Atiku, citing his age and health.

    “Go to the Wazirin of Adamawa’s house and tell him in Fulani that he needs to focus on his traditional title of Wazirin, given his age and health,” he said.

    Kwankwaso also promised that he and Obi would take care of Atiku if they emerge victorious in the 2027 election.

    “If Allah grants us success, we will take good care of him, especially since you all come from Adamawa. An apology should be offered to him,” he added.

    Atiku emerged as the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate in May 2026, setting the stage for another presidential contest.

    His emergence marked his latest attempt at securing Nigeria’s presidency after first contesting for the position in 1993.

    The former Vice-President was the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2019 election, where he lost to then-incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Speaking after his emergence as the ADC candidate, Atiku pledged to focus on national unity, security, economic development, education and greater devolution of resources and powers to Nigeria’s federating units.

    “This time around is different; our journey will not end at the poll; we will get to work and rescue Nigeria. I invite every Nigerian to join me in this mission to save our dear country,” he said.

    Atiku also promised to pursue a liberal economy with lower taxes for small businesses and low-income earners if elected president.

    “I have never been this optimistic, and with your support and God’s grace, we will get to the promised land,” he said.

  • Obi Challenges Nigerians to Scrutinise His, Kwankwaso’s Background

    … 30 govs won’t guarantee victory for APC in 2027, Kwankwaso insists
    NDC Presidential Candidate Peter Obi and His Running Mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso

    The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has challenged Nigerians to scrutinise his background and publicly identify any wrongdoing he may have committed.

    The former Anambra State governor also urged Nigerians to verify the background of his running mate and former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

    This is as Kwankwaso issued a stern warning to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that the fact that its has overs 30 governors does not guarantee it victory in 2027.

    Obi issued the challenge in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during a town hall meeting with voters tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria”, where he fielded questions on the 2027 general election.

    The former Anambra State governor said he and his running mate, Kwankwaso, had made their personal and educational backgrounds available for public scrutiny.

    “I want to give every Nigerian the opportunity to know who I am,” Obi said.

    “Both of us have presented our backgrounds, from our dates of birth to our schools, education and all, to the people. You can go and verify our backgrounds worldwide, anywhere.”

    Obi’s comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the backgrounds and records of politicians positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential election.

    He also made a veiled reference to his legal dispute with his former spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, over alleged defamatory comments about their past dealings during the 2023 presidential campaign.

    According to Obi, he instituted the legal action after Okonkwo claimed to possess information about his past that could shock Nigerians.

    “We have sued somebody in court. He said he knows something he can say that will shock people. I said I want you to say what people will be shocked about,” Obi said.

    “And I’m challenging every Nigerian. If there is anything that you know I have done that is wrong, say it out now.

    “I’m challenging the world over: if you know anything that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has done that is wrong, say it out now.”

    The NDC candidate said anyone aspiring to occupy the highest  political office in the country must emerge through a credible and transparent process.

    “You cannot continue to answer His Excellency when the process that got you there is not excellent,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Kwankwaso has issued a stern warning to the ruling APC, saying that the fact that its has overs 30 governors does not guarantee it victory in 2027.

    The vice-presidential asserted that the party’s control of over 30 state governors is not a magic wand that can guarantee electoral victory for President Bola Tinubu at the polls.

    Speaking at the event, the former Kano State governor noted that relying purely on political structures and incumbent governors is a dangerous gamble.

    Kwankwaso said having many governors does not automatically mean that a political party will win an election.

    “The sitting president lost the election. I’m giving you an example, especially for those who think because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That is a very big mistake,” he said.

    He said past elections had shown that an incumbent government could lose despite having strong political control across several states.

    The former Kano governor also said some Northern governors may find it difficult to campaign for their parties in 2027 because of public dissatisfaction with their performance.

    “By the grace of God, all of them, especially the ones in the North, because I studied the trend. The trend is that those governors and their party have performed woefully to the extent that it is very difficult for them even to come out and campaign,” he said.

    Kwankwaso also questioned how governments have used the increased revenue available to them, saying higher allocations have not resulted in better living conditions for Nigerians.

    He recalled that when he became governor in 1999, state and local governments received much less money.

    “Now, in one year, we have seen it on social media that our government collected over N1.11trillion in just less than one year. You go around, what have you done with that money? Close to nothing,” he said.

    According to him, the gap between government revenue and the living conditions of Nigerians is increasing public anger.

    He said the situation is even more serious in Northern Nigeria because of the continued insecurity in the region. This Day Live

  • FG, APC Clash with Obi, Kwankwaso Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Chances

    FG, APC Clash with Obi, Kwankwaso Over Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Chances

    The Federal Government has dismissed claims by presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, that President Bola Tinubu would be defeated in the 2027 general elections, insisting that the All Progressives Congress remains confident of retaining the Presidency.

    The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, said the APC would win the presidential election as well as the governorship and other elective contests in Kaduna State, rejecting suggestions of growing opposition to the ruling party in the North.

    Musa spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, hours after Obi and Kwankwaso told their supporters that they were prepared to resist any attempt to manipulate the 2027 polls.

    While Obi warned that voters would not allow their votes to be subverted at polling units, Kwankwaso argued that the APC could lose despite controlling more than 30 states, citing the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

    Musa, who was responding to a suggestion that voters in Kaduna might punish the APC and President Tinubu over the performance of the administration.

    Rejecting the suggestion, Musa described the perceived rejection of the APC in the North as a matter of perception.

    “That’s a perception. It’s a perception, and I mean, everybody has his own perception to deal with. People will always have the good, the bad, and the ugly,” he said.

    Asked whether the APC could lose Kaduna State in 2027, Musa said he was certain the party would win the state.

    “I cannot say cannot lose. APC will win in Kaduna. That I know,” he said.

    Asked if he was referring to the governorship election, the minister replied, “Definitely. Presidential, governorship, and all levels.”

    Musa, who is from the North, was also asked about the reported growing sentiment against the APC and Tinubu in the region.

    He dismissed the suggestion, saying some people were attempting to exploit public sentiments because they were dissatisfied with their current circumstances.

    “That’s why I said there are some people, because probably they are not where they think they are, the tendency is they want to whip up sentiments. APC is this, APC is that,” he said.

    The minister defended Tinubu’s policies, saying the President had taken difficult decisions that would gradually produce results.

    “But I can tell you this, the President has taken very painful decisions, and I can tell you these are decisions that are coming in gradually,” Musa said.

    He said Nigerians would eventually appreciate the rationale behind some of the administration’s decisions, particularly its economic policies.

    “I mean, you can look at the economy and all these things, we’re coming in gradually. At a time, people will now realise that, look, this thing we thought was like this, this is actually how it’s going,” he said.

    Musa concluded his argument with a firm prediction: “And I can tell you, APC will win.”

    Obi, Kwankwaso

    Earlier on Thursday, Obi and Kwankwaso assured supporters and party faithful that nobody would intimidate them or subvert their will at the polling booths during the general elections in 2027.

    This is as Obi vowed that anyone who attempted to prevent votes from being counted in the poll would himself be counted.

    He spoke during a Town Hall Meeting with voters tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria’ held in Port Harcourt.

    Fielding questions from the supporters, Obi said it would be delusional for anyone to think that the 2027 election would easily be manipulated like that of 2023.

    “Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see in any polling booth is five.

    Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, where he finished third behind Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

    Tinubu defeated 17 other candidates after securing 8,794,726 votes, the highest tally in the election, and meeting the constitutional requirement for victory.

    He also won at least 25 per cent of the votes in 30 states, exceeding the constitutional threshold of 25 states.

    Atiku came second with 6,984,520 votes, while Obi polled 6,101,533 votes.

    Despite the official declaration of the results, Obi alleged that the election was marred by manipulation and the intimidation of his loyalists, and he, alongside many of his supporters, has continued to maintain that he won Rivers State and the 2023 presidential election.

    Obi declared that anyone plotting to manipulate the 2027 election would find it difficult to succeed.

    He stated, “No one will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see at any polling booth is five.

    “The average number of voters is 40 to 50. There’s no way five people will intimidate 50 people. And we will make sure we have coordination to ensure that such intimidation does not arise.

    “The people who are in these polling booths are from families that are suffering from hunger. Some of the policemen’s children are not in school. All they want is for you to defend and demand that your vote must count.

    “And that is the demand we are going to make aggressively. Yes, they will try to manipulate the IReV. But let me tell you, it will not be easy this time,” Obi stated.

    The NDC presidential candidate further said voters would resist any attempt to manipulate results through the INEC Result Viewing Portal, adding that multiple portals would be provided.

    According to him, “There will be so many IReVs this time. This time around, if there is a network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch.

    “By allowing them to continue, that glitch will glitch our lives. That’s what we are suffering today. This time, all of us will rescue our country. Somebody said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too.”

    The party’s Vice Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said Nigeria needs a committed, strong and energetic president capable of addressing the country’s challenges and meeting the needs of its citizens.

    On his part, Kwankwaso urged Nigerians to make the right choice of leadership, noting that many of those seeking the presidency lacked the necessary experience to effectively govern the country.

    He said: “I believe that Nigerians must not make mistakes again. This is the time to get it right. And anything to the contrary, I believe people, if they make a mistake, certainly people will regret making that mistake. Because it will be too costly for the people and the country. Many of these people have no experience, or they want to forget history.”

    Kwankwaso noted that the ruling party would lose the election despite having 30 state governors, recalling that former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election even while in power.

    He stated, “Jonathan was the president, the sitting president lost the election. I’ve given you an example, especially those who think because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That was a very big mistake.

    “By the grace of God, all of them (governors), especially the ones in the North, because I studied the trend.

    “The trend is those governors and their party have performed woefully, to the extent that it is very difficult for them even to come out and campaign. Why? Because from top to bottom, did absolutely nothing,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the NDC in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, thanked the party and its members for showing resilience and patience at the meeting.

    Lulu-Briggs said the party would transform the country into a nation that works, adding that Rivers supporters have the courage to work for the party.

    “We want to thank you for your sacrifice. I want to assure you that we shall have a Nigeria that works. I want to thank your excellencies, the leadership of our great party, for giving us this platform.

    “I want to assure your excellencies that we are not afraid. Courage is not the absence of fear. But fear that has set us free,” Chief Lulu-Briggs stated.

    APC reacts

    However, the APC  described Obi and Kwankwaso’s statement as cheap talk and wishful thinking.

    The National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, who spoke with The PUNCH on Thursday, reminded both Obi and Kwankwaso that former President Muhammadu Buhari won his re-election while the APC also won in many states.

    He said, “Talk is cheap, and they are poor students of history. Buhari was a sitting President and won re-election and his party won under him. Maybe they are suffering from partial amnesia.

    “Their party does not even have governorship candidates in at least 12 states and National Assembly candidates in a large number of constituencies. Presidential election is not won on empty rhetoric or wishful thinking. We are confident that Nigerians will re elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

    ADC dismisses Wike

    Meanwhile, the ADC in Rivers State has dismissed FCT minister Nyesom Wike’s claim of winning the state in next year’s election.

    Wike had on Thursday claimed that the ADC and NDC would lose in Rivers State and Abuja.

    An ally of Rotimi Amaechi, the ADC running mate to Atiku Abubakar, and State Publicity Secretary of the ADC in Tivers State,  Chizi Enyi, in an interview with The PUNCH,  said Wike said Wike had betrayed all those who assured him to limelight.

    While alleging that Wike had a penchant for violence, the Rivers ADC spokesman said the party was not perturbed by his rantings.

    Enyi stated, “Wike has consistently been saying he will win Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja just to please Tinubu. And we all know that Wike is one man who will say one thing and does another.

    “He is someone who has consistently said that the only thing he owes himself on earth is always to please Dr Peter Odili. Today where is Odili? Wike also believed that former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan is God on earth when he was contesting for governor. Today where is Jonathan?

    “So, for President Bola Tinubu it will be the same thing and when he (Tinubu) leaves office he will be the way Odili and Jonathan are currently.”

    “For the ADC in Rivers State we are not disturbed because while we are busy campaigning, we have information that they are busy lobbying INEC, changing Electoral Officers and all that.

    “So, we are not disturbed. We know and we believe that from what we have seen and from the what we have done,  talking to people  and the personality of our candidates we are confident that we will win the general election in Rivers State and Nigeria in general.

    “Everybody knows that Wike is synonymous with violence. He always intimidate people,  talks one thing and does another. However we are not disturbed because the 2027 general elections Wike will be a thing of the past.

    “We strongly believe that the Abubakar/Amaechi ticket the ADC is the party to beat. In Rivers State Amaechi did very well as governor and his records are there for all to see,” he said. Punch

  • I’ll neither step down nor join forces with Obi -Kwankwaso

    I’ll neither step down nor join forces with Obi -Kwankwaso

    Presidential candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, has dismissed the prospects of stepping down or joining forces with Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr. Peter Obi to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Kwankwaso who spoke, yesterday, at Chatham House, London, UK said he was the candidate to beat and that his party had more grassroots appeal and support than other parties contesting the February 25 poll.

    He was responding to a question from Duke Oputa, an independent political analyst and member of the audience who wanted to know if he would step down for LP given that the NNPP campaign strategies were similar to that of Obi in many ways.

    “Is there any circumstance that you will step aside and cooperate with Labour in other to remove the current extraction in Nigeria?” Oputa asked.

    Kwankwaso, however, dismissed the question saying: “On Labour Party, I was initially interested in working with them, but at that time, they were at peak of the media hype and we couldn’t reach a compromise. Our party (NNPP) is a national party, and we’re commanding the support of the masses. I can’t work with a party whose ideas are based on ethnicity and religion because I’m a Nigerian. Go and look at my credentials my brother, I am a Ph.D. holder in Civil Engineering, check what your candidate has. I have been in the system for over 30 years now. I was a civil servant for 17 years, I wasn’t a trader. I was the deputy speaker of the House Representatives in 1992, I was in the constitutional conference elected delegate, the Governor of Kano State for eight years and I was in Senate.

    “If you had been from the North, I am sure you won’t have made that statement for Kwankwaso to withdraw for Labour Party. When we sat down, what I told them is what I will tell you. If they want Kwankwao to withdraw, let’s bring the criteria and select the best. Anytime they have a better candidate, I am ready to talk to him.

    “We are the only party that is now getting support; forget about the big-big people who are the actual problems of this country. But from supporters at the grassroots level, mark it, we have been successful in locking Northen Nigeria today in terms of votes and support. Now, we are working in the Southern part of the country. The difference between the North and South is that the North knows us more than the Southern part of the country.”

    When asked if he believes there would be free and fair elections, he said that would depend on President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “If the president wants a fair election, it will happen. I want to appeal to the Nigerian president to leave a legacy of free elections, as a serial victim of electoral fraud, and as the first beneficiary of free and fair elections in Nigeria.”