Kwankwaso Rules Out Stepping Down for ADC Ahead of 2027 Elections

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has ruled out withdrawing from the 2027 presidential election in favour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any other political party.

Kwankwaso made the declaration in a statement published on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, amid growing exchanges between the NDC and the ADC over opposition strategies ahead of the general election.

The former Kano State governor accused the ADC Presidential Campaign Council of directing unnecessary attacks at him, the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the party, rather than presenting its candidate’s credentials and policy proposals to Nigerians.

He also dismissed allegations that the NDC ticket was working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing claims that the party might withdraw from the presidential race at the last minute as unfounded.

Kwankwaso said the ticket, popularly known as the Obi-Kwankwaso or “OK ticket”, remained committed to contesting the election and was confident in its capacity to lead the country.

He insisted that there was neither a reason nor any possibility of withdrawing in favour of the ADC candidate or any other political platform.

The NDC chieftain further challenged the ADC campaign council to address allegations reportedly levelled against its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, rather than focusing its criticism on the NDC leadership.

Kwankwaso also rejected the ADC’s claim to represent a viable alternative to the APC-led administration, arguing that neither platform offered the solution required to address Nigeria’s challenges.

He maintained that the NDC ticket had the credibility, capacity and nationwide support needed to pursue its proposed agenda, which prioritises national unity and reforms across key sectors.

Among the areas identified by the former governor were security, education, agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare and economic recovery.

He described the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as a unifying platform capable of addressing the country’s social and economic difficulties, while urging supporters to remain focused on mobilising for the election.

The disagreement follows recent exchanges between the two opposition camps over Kwankwaso’s political remarks and calls for opposition figures to consider stepping aside in support of a common candidate.

The ADC campaign council had accused Kwankwaso of directing his criticism towards opposition leaders while failing to adequately challenge the APC administration. It also questioned his political intentions and urged him to clarify his position.

Kwankwaso, however, maintained that the NDC would remain in the presidential contest and called on supporters to continue working towards the ticket’s victory.