Chief Sam Nkire, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to actively court the return of Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano State governor and leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), to the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
Nkire insists that Kwankwaso’s re-entry into the APC would be instrumental in guaranteeing President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, due to Kwankwaso’s strong grassroots influence and massive support base in Kano, the nation’s most populous northern state with significant electoral votes.
Kwankwaso has amassed a formidable political following, known as the Kwankwasiyya Movement, and contested the 2023 presidential election on the NNPP platform, finishing as a strong third force in Nigerian politics.
Political analysts note that the APC is reportedly courting Kwankwaso with a possible vice-presidential ticket offer and has taken strategic moves such as the resignation of key party figures like former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje to pave the way for Kwankwaso’s return.
Chief Nkire views the potential alliance as vital in countering the opposition’s efforts to unseat Tinubu and believes that reclaiming Kwankwaso’s support will solidify the APC’s electoral strength in the northwest region and nationwide.