…Ex-Kano Governor Also Viewing PDP Option if Jonathan Runs
By Franklin Adole
A close ally of President Bola Tinubu, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has stirred speculation about the shape of the 2027 elections after strongly urging former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to work with the president to actualise his second-term ambition.
Jibrin, who represents Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said he “would choose Kwankwaso and Bola Tinubu to work together,” adding that Tinubu should be allowed to complete an eight-year cycle for the South. Although he did not explicitly call for Kwankwaso’s nomination as vice president, party insiders told KTH Daily that the remark is being widely interpreted as such, given Kwankwaso’s longstanding ambition for the most viable vice-presidential slot that could place him in pole position for the 2031 presidency.
Kwankwaso is not currently an ally of Tinubu, and relations between the two men have been uneasy since 2023. However, Jibrin’s remarks have rekindled speculation that both camps may eventually converge in a strategic alliance to consolidate northern votes behind Tinubu in 2027.
But sources familiar with Kwankwaso’s thinking say he is actively weighing alternatives, including the possibility of running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform as a vice-presidential candidate, particularly if former President Goodluck Jonathan decides to enter the 2027 race. According to insiders, Jonathan’s potential candidacy has prompted behind-the-scenes outreach to Kwankwaso as a balancing figure capable of galvanising northern support.
Jibrin, a chieftain of Kwankwaso’s New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), nonetheless maintained that the former Kano governor remains open to working with the APC. “He has always maintained that his doors are open, our doors are open for discussions. Everything is a possibility,” Jibrin said, adding that the political climate in the North must shift to allow Tinubu to complete a full tenure for the South.
He argued that Nigeria’s political balance should be measured from independence in 1960, not from 1999, pointing out that the North had already held power for more than 39 years compared to 28 for the South. He insisted that Tinubu’s eight years were necessary to preserve stability and equity in the federation.
“It’s an insult to say Nigeria started in 1999. We all recognise Gowon, Shagari, Babangida, Abacha, Yar’Adua, Buhari and the rest as heads of state or presidents. We cannot erase that history,” he said.
Jibrin’s intervention has thrown Kwankwaso’s calculations into sharper focus. While some APC insiders see him as Tinubu’s strongest possible northern running mate, PDP strategists view him as a counterweight to consolidate the North should Jonathan or another southern heavyweight carry the party’s flag.
With Kwankwaso’s political base intact in Kano and significant parts of the North-West, both scenarios make him a prime bargaining chip in the race toward 2027—leaving open the question of whether his path to Aso Rock runs through Tinubu’s APC or Jonathan’s PDP.