ADC Campaign Council Accuses Kwankwaso of Working for Tinubu, Says Atiku Can Win Kano

By Ladan Muhammad

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has accused former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of advancing President Bola Tinubu’s political interests by calling on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step down for Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The council described Kwankwaso’s position as reckless, self-serving and an attempt to sow division within the opposition, insisting that Atiku could win Kano State in 2027 with or without Kwankwaso’s support.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, Kola Ologbondiyan, stated this while reacting to Kwankwaso’s recent interview on Channels Television.

Ologbondiyan accused the former governor of focusing on opposition leaders instead of challenging the Tinubu administration over the economic hardship, hunger, poverty and insecurity confronting Nigerians.

He questioned why Kwankwaso was demanding Atiku’s withdrawal rather than working towards building a stronger opposition capable of defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Rather than campaigning against President Tinubu, whose administration Nigerians are eagerly working to vote out, Kwankwaso is fixated on Atiku Abubakar, the ADC candidate, whom millions of Nigerians believe can restore economic stability and make life affordable again,” he said.

The ADC-PCC spokesman suggested that Kwankwaso’s position might be influenced by his future political ambitions, alleging that the former governor was more concerned about positioning himself for the 2031 presidential election than uniting opposition forces.

He further argued that Kwankwaso’s political influence in Kano should not be considered indispensable to any presidential candidate seeking victory in the state.

Citing the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections, Ologbondiyan recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari won in Kano despite not relying on Kwankwaso’s support.

According to him, similar circumstances could favour Atiku in 2027, particularly as voters contend with the country’s economic and security challenges.

“What Kwankwaso is doing amounts to advancing President Tinubu’s interests. It is a familiar APC strategy to use willing collaborators within the opposition to create confusion, sow division and weaken the collective efforts to bring about political change,” he alleged.

Ologbondiyan also questioned Kwankwaso’s political consistency, citing his movement across several political parties as evidence of what he described as persistent political repositioning.

He maintained that Atiku possessed a broader national political network, built over more than three decades, which could help him secure support across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

In contrast, he argued that Kwankwaso’s political strength remained largely concentrated in Kano, questioning his ability to translate that influence into nationwide electoral success.

The spokesman also referenced Kwankwaso’s fourth-place finish in the 2023 presidential election, arguing that his performance demonstrated the limitations of his national electoral appeal.

Ologbondiyan further expressed concern that Kwankwaso’s position could undermine Peter Obi and other opposition figures rather than strengthen their collective chances against the APC.

The ADC-PCC urged Nigerians and opposition leaders to disregard what it described as Kwankwaso’s divisive intervention and focus on building a united front ahead of the 2027 election.

The council maintained that Atiku remained its preferred candidate for defeating Tinubu, calling on opposition leaders to prioritise national interests over personal political ambitions.

“The task before opposition leaders is not to undermine one another for personal political advantaghe but to unite around the urgent national mission of rescuing Nigeria,” Ologbondiyan said.