President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly weighing a high-stakes political move ahead of the 2027 general elections, with insiders confirming ongoing consultations to bring former Kano State Governor and NNPP leader, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, back into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—possibly as his running mate.
If finalized, the move would mark a dramatic reshuffling of Tinubu’s re-election strategy and could see Vice President Kashim Shettima replaced on the 2027 ticket.
High-level sources in Abuja disclosed that Tinubu’s camp is in active dialogue with Kwankwaso, leader of the influential Kwankwasiyya movement, whose political machinery retains significant control in Kano State—a key North-West voting bloc with nearly six million registered voters as of the 2023 elections.
This development comes amid remarks by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, who recently declared that the APC is ready to receive Kwankwaso back into the fold. Ganduje described Kwankwaso as “a fish out of water” outside the APC, and in a recent address in Kano, went further to pronounce the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) “dead.”
However, reconciliation may not come without conditions. The Kano State chapter of the APC has insisted that any return by Kwankwaso must include a public apology to both President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for past criticisms.
Within the APC, the prospect of replacing Shettima has stirred debate. Party stakeholders in Borno State have urged Tinubu to retain his current deputy, citing Shettima’s unwavering loyalty and effective governance.
Analysts say the potential inclusion of Kwankwaso is a strategic calculation aimed at consolidating Northern support, especially amid reports that major opposition leaders—Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and others—are in advanced talks to form a new coalition, tentatively named the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), to present a unified front against the APC in 2027.
What to Watch:
APC Negotiations: Will Tinubu openly engage Kwankwaso, and under what terms?
Shettima’s Position: Will the vice president resist or quietly step aside?
Opposition Moves: Will ADA’s formation accelerate or deter Kwankwaso’s potential defection?
As the political landscape begins to take shape ahead of 2027, Tinubu’s outreach to Kwankwaso signals more than just a personnel shift—it may define the contours of the next presidential battle and reshape alliances across Nigeria’s North.
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