Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has ruled out withdrawing from the 2027 presidential race in favour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) remains determined to win the election.
Kwankwaso, the NDC vice-presidential candidate alongside Peter Obi, made the position known in a statement posted on his official Facebook page, where he accused the ADC Presidential Campaign Council of targeting his party’s leadership instead of selling its own candidate to Nigerians.
He dismissed suggestions that the NDC was working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or planning to abandon its presidential ticket for the ADC, describing such claims as baseless attempts to mislead voters.
The former Kano State governor accused the ADC campaign team of engaging in political mischief and urged supporters to disregard any claims that the NDC had endorsed another party or intended to withdraw from the contest.
Kwankwaso maintained that the NDC’s presidential ticket, popularly known as the OK ticket, was neither working for the APC nor acting on behalf of any of its candidates. He expressed confidence in the ticket’s ability and readiness to lead the country.
He also challenged the ADC campaign council to address allegations reportedly levelled against its presidential candidate by Vice-President Kashim Shettima rather than focusing on attacks against the NDC leadership.
While criticising the APC-led administration for failing Nigerians, Kwankwaso argued that the ADC had yet to establish itself as a better alternative. He described the NDC as a formidable opposition force and urged party supporters to remain focused on securing victory in 2027.
He said the NDC ticket was committed to tackling insecurity, improving education and healthcare, strengthening agriculture and infrastructure, reviving the economy and promoting national unity.
However, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council has rejected Kwankwaso’s response, describing it as diversionary and arguing that it failed to address concerns about his alleged political alignment with the APC and President Bola Tinubu.
The council had earlier advised Kwankwaso to stop attacking former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and instead direct his criticism towards the ruling party over the country’s economic and security challenges.
In a statement on Sunday, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, said Kwankwaso’s response had raised further questions about his priorities as an opposition leader.
The council faulted his decision to devote much of his response to criticising the ADC while, in its view, giving insufficient attention to the APC administration’s record in government.
It argued that Nigerians were more concerned about hunger, insecurity, rising fuel prices, the depreciation of the naira and worsening living conditions than political exchanges among opposition figures.
The exchange has intensified the public disagreement between the two opposition camps as political manoeuvring gathers pace ahead of the 2027 general elections.
