The Labour Party (LP) has welcomed the offer made by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 election, to serve as the running mate to Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso, in a viral social media post, expressed his willingness to work with Obi as a vice-presidential candidate, despite the collapse of similar talks ahead of the 2023 election.
The LP and NNPP had previously explored a merger, but disagreements over who would lead the ticket derailed the alliance.
Speaking in Hausa via a video shared on his official account, the former governor of Kano State stated, “I’m bigger than Peter Obi politically; I’m his elder brother, I’m a PhD holder, I performed better than him when I was the governor of my state. I’ve no problem with deputising for Peter Obi, but only if certain conditions are met.”
Kwankwaso also indicated a willingness to engage in renewed talks with Obi, provided there is trust between both parties. “We are willing to engage in discussions, provided that trust is established,” he noted.
In the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi of the Labour Party finished third with approximately 6,101,533 votes, while Kwankwaso came in fourth with 1,496,687 votes.
Kwankwaso has been a strong critic of the Bola Tinubu-led administration, especially regarding its economic policies, which he argues have worsened the living conditions of Nigerians.
The National Secretary of LP, Umar Farouk, welcomed Kwankwaso’s renewed interest in working with Obi but urged him to drop any claims of superiority.
“We are happy Kwankwaso has alighted from the high horse he was riding and is now willing to offer himself as Obi’s deputy,” Farouk stated.
“However, he should stop this talk of being a bigger politician or holding a PhD. What did he even achieve as Minister of Defence?”
Farouk emphasized that the Labour Party is open to forming alliances that align with its vision of good governance.
“We stand for good governance and encourage our candidates to associate with people of like minds who share our philosophy.
It will be in the interest of Nigerians if Obi and Kwankwaso come together to wrest power from the current administration,” he added.
However, Farouk also acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead, noting that “the sitting government will not simply allow this renewed move to work’
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