2027 Election: Rabiu Kwankwaso Set to Join ADC in Major Political Shift
By: Abudu Olalekan
Big moves are happening in the political space. Rabiu Kwankwaso, the big boss of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), is expected to officially join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) this Monday. Reportersroom can tell you this is more than just a rumor—it’s actually happening.
Word from insiders in both the ADC and NNPP is that Kwankwaso will make the big announcement right there in Kano.
It wasn’t a smooth ride, though. According to an ADC official who spoke to Reportersroom on the condition of anonymity, the party’s top brass—National Chairman David Mark and Secretary Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola—will be the ones welcoming him.
And he’s not coming alone. Aminu Gwarzo, the former Deputy Governor of Kano, is likely tagging along. Gwarzo already quit his post on Friday, which basically cleared the path for this move.
Now, here is where it gets interesting. The ADC has been chasing Kwankwaso for over three months. But Kwankwaso isn’t just joining for the sake of it. He reportedly wanted a guarantee—the vice-presidential slot for the 2027 presidential race.
He’d already been eyeing a joint ticket with Peter Obi, a move that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was allegedly pushing behind the scenes.
Things got even more urgent after his political son, Governor Abba Yusuf, jumped ship to the APC back in January, taking a good chunk of the state House of Assembly and his cabinet with him. Talk about a betrayal.
The deal almost fell apart, too. Insiders say Kwankwaso was supposed to declare for the ADC last Tuesday, March 24. But he did a complete U-turn. Why? Because he insisted on that VP promise. David Mark, the ADC Chairman, basically told him he couldn’t make that kind of commitment on the spot. Just like that, the deal was off.
But then Aregbesola stepped in. He had a private sit-down with Kwankwaso on Thursday at his place in Abuja, and somehow, he smoothed things over. Suddenly, Kwankwaso is back on board and ready to go. A photo of the two of them even hit social media, posted by Kwankwaso’s aide, Saifullahi Hassan.
So, the plan is now set. Monday. Kano.
An NNPP insider confirmed that Kwankwaso is heading back to Kano today (Sunday) to get everything ready. Another leader in the party was even more bullish, saying, “Kwankwaso owns Kano, and he will demonstrate his strength on Monday.” Expect a massive crowd.
When Reportersroom reached out to the ADC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, he played it vague, saying he’d call back. The NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, claimed he didn’t know anything about it. Classic politics—everyone knows, but nobody wants to be the first to admit it on record.
This all comes just a week after a high-level meeting between Kwankwaso, Peter Obi, Seyi Makinde, and Seriake Dickson. Kwankwaso called it a “moment of unity.”
And it’s not just about the ADC. Sources say the party is trying to build a wider alliance, even reaching out to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The goal? To create a powerhouse opposition bloc. They’re eyeing people like Makinde and Dickson, believing that if they move as a group instead of individuals, they have more leverage to negotiate.
The ultimate objective is pretty clear: they want to end the Tinubu administration, blaming its policies for pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty.
The APC, however, isn’t sweating it.
Ajibola Basiru, the APC National Secretary, basically laughed it off. He told Reportersroom that Kwankwaso isn’t a threat to President Tinubu’s second term. His argument? Kwankwaso doesn’t have the structure—not enough governors or House members.
“Let him go,” Basiru said. “Democracy is about contest.”
Whether he’s a threat or not, Monday is going to be a wild day in Kano.
