Ndigbo For Tinubu 2027 Forum Dismisses Obi/Kwankwaso Ticket as a Threat to 2027 Re-election Bid
A prominent coalition of pro-President Bola Tinubu Igbo groups, operating under the banner of Ndigbo For Tinubu 2027 (NDI-ABAT), has asserted that a potential presidential ticket featuring Peter Obi and Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso poses no significant threat to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects in 2027.
In a recent statement, the forum, through its National Coordinator Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Secretary-General Dr. Ugwuoke Ugwuoke, highlighted several indicators suggesting that the former governors are indeed exploring a joint candidacy. However, the group emphasized that this alliance would not materialize under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Sources within the NDI-ABAT claim that intelligence reports indicate former President Olusegun Obasanjo is actively involved in orchestrating a presidential ticket that would unite Obi and Kwankwaso for the upcoming 2027 elections.
Further bolstering these claims, the forum alleged that Kwankwaso has purportedly agreed to serve as Peter Obi’s vice-presidential running mate. This collaboration, it is understood, would be within an opposition political party distinct from the ADC.
The group pointed to recent political developments in Kano State as evidence of this alleged strategic alignment. Obi’s visit to Kano for Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, where he was reportedly hosted at Kwankwaso’s residence, is interpreted by NDI-ABAT as a deliberate political overture. This meeting, they suggest, was intended to signal a unified front between the former presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in their bid to challenge President Tinubu in 2027.
However, the NDI-ABAT forum also anticipates internal challenges that could undermine the proposed Obi/Kwankwaso ticket. The group contends that key political allies of both leaders are, in fact, working towards President Tinubu’s re-election. Specifically, they mention Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State as figures who are reportedly aligning with Tinubu’s camp.
Another significant hurdle identified by the forum is the potential stance of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. According to NDI-ABAT, Abubakar has shown no inclination to step aside or support the proposed Obi/Kwankwaso alliance.
The forum added that the ongoing nationwide registration of members within the ADC appears to favor Atiku Abubakar’s prospects of securing the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections.
In contrast to the perceived challenges facing the opposition, the NDI-ABAT expressed strong confidence in the ability of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to rally support from Southeast governors. They anticipate that these governors will deliver a substantial bloc of votes from the region to President Tinubu.
The group is actively engaged in mobilizing support among the Igbo population across the country for President Tinubu’s re-election campaign. Their stated objective is ambitious: “We are targeting 13 million Igbo votes for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid,” the forum declared.
Concluding with a confident assertion, the NDI-ABAT stated, “We are confident that Tinubu will defeat both the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket and a possible Atiku/Amaechi ticket in the 2027 presidential election.”
