Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has dismissed the prospects of a proposed Peter Obi–Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election, describing it as “dead on arrival.”
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Ganduje said the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, lack the governance record and political legacy required to convince Nigerians they can effectively lead the country.
According to him, an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would also fail to secure meaningful support in Kano State.
“I don’t think Peter Obi and Kwankwaso’s ticket will succeed in Kano. It will not succeed. In fact, it is dead on arrival,” Ganduje said.
Questioning Obi’s performance as former governor of Anambra State, the APC chieftain argued that the former governor had not demonstrated the leadership credentials needed to govern Nigeria.
“Peter Obi was a governor in Anambra State. What did he do as a governor? What legacy did he leave as a governor? And from that, what other responsibility in governance did he hold where he made a mark to the extent that we believe he will be able to manage this country effectively and efficiently?” he asked.
Ganduje also criticised Kwankwaso’s political career, noting that unlike other former Kano governors, he did not complete two consecutive terms in office.
“Kwankwaso too, he was a governor of Kano State. He was not able to be a governor back-to-back. Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau spent eight years straight, and I also served eight consecutive years. But he was not able to return after his first term until eight years later,” he said.
He further argued that Kwankwaso had not left a legacy capable of persuading Nigerians that he could effectively serve at the national level.
“So, I don’t think—even in Kano—what legacy specifically can you say he has left that will convince the people of Kano and the people of Nigeria that he will be a successful vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? As I said earlier, it is dead on arrival,” Ganduje stated.
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