The spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Saleh, has said former presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is willing to accept any role, including a possible vice-presidential slot, to ensure that President Bola Tinubu is voted out in the 2027 election.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Saleh made this known in an interview with Daily Post, while speaking on the ongoing coalition negotiations and remarks by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, regarding Kwankwaso’s political relevance.
Saleh stated that Kwankwaso’s priority is not personal ambition but to ensure that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu are removed, so that democracy can survive and the nation can be saved.
He said, “My principal has made it very clear to us all that we are joining this coalition simply to ensure that we contribute in any way possible to remove this present government of APC and Bola Ahmed Tinubu from power, so that democracy can survive and the nation can be saved.
“He has been creating alliances, bringing people together and doing everything necessary to ensure that the party succeeds in its fight. He is ready to make the necessary sacrifice to achieve that goal.
“Be it that he is going to be given a slot as vice president or at whatever capacity, I believe that will work for the success of the coalition and the ADC.
“If he evaluates the arrangement and sees that it will bring victory and allow the party to succeed, my principal will take it. What matters most is success for Nigerians and for democracy.”
Speaking further, Saleh dismissed Atiku’s claim that Kwankwaso only controls Kano votes, describing it as an understatement.
According to him, Kwankwaso recorded significant votes outside Kano during the 2023 election despite contesting on a relatively weak platform.
He stated, “It is a serious understatement for anybody to say that the relevance of my principal is only in Kano. The figures from the last election clearly show otherwise.
“He got about 906,000 votes from Kano, but he also got about 500,000 votes from other parts of the country. And remember, he contested on a relatively unknown political party.
“He did not enjoy the support of any incumbent, no governor, no House of Representatives member, not even a councillor. He also did not have elite backing or strong party structure.”
While comparing Kwankwaso’s performance with Atiku’s earlier presidential outing, Seleh said his principal’s performance shows genuine grassroots support.
He noted, “For any candidate that can deliver his own state under such conditions, it shows real connection with the people and strong political credibility.”
“When Atiku contested as a sitting Vice President, with the support of the then ruling structure, he got about two million votes, which was around six percent.”
“Kwankwaso, contesting for the first time without holding any major office, also got about six percent. So, you can put that into perspective and make your judgment.”
Speaking on the possibility of a joint ticket between Atiku and Kwankwaso, both from Northern Nigeria, Saleh said such an arrangement is not realistic.
He said, “I don’t think that is realistic. We must be sensitive enough to present a ticket that reflects balance between North and South.”
“A same-region or same-religion ticket will only divide the country and hurt democracy. What Nigerians want is fairness and inclusiveness.”
He noted that this is why many Nigerians have shown interest in a Kwankwaso-Peter Obi ticket.
He added, “That kind of ticket is an easy sell. It can bridge the gap of mistrust and bring Nigerians together.”