, has drawn a clear political line ahead of the 2027 general election,){kind=link}
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has drawn a clear political line ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring that he would only switch parties if the move guarantees him a presidential or vice-presidential slot.
Speaking during a meeting with party loyalists, Kwankwaso dismissed speculation about an imminent defection, stressing that any political realignment must reflect both his stature and the collective interests of his supporters nationwide.
According to him, several overtures have been made by rival parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), yet none met the threshold he considered serious.
“I have spent decades building a political movement. Any discussion about leaving must begin with respect for that journey and end with a clear national mandate,” he said.
Furthermore, Kwankwaso argued that offers limited to appointments or political appointments were inadequate.
He maintained that leadership positions without electoral legitimacy neither align with his political philosophy nor satisfy the expectations of the NNPP’s national structure.
Reaffirming the party’s ideological roots, he said the NNPP remains anchored in the Kwankwasiyya movement, which he described as a platform focused on social mobility, youth empowerment, access to education, healthcare delivery, and agricultural growth.
“Our politics is not transactional. It is about lifting people and building systems that work,” he noted.
However, the NNPP leader turned sharply critical when addressing reports of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s planned defection to the APC.
He described the move as unexpected and deeply troubling, particularly given the political history shared between them.
Kwankwaso said the governor neither consulted him nor offered a convincing explanation for the decision.
“What hurts is not politics itself, but the silence before the action. Loyalty demands conversation, especially after shared sacrifice,” he said.
He added that the development undermines the unity required to sustain recent electoral gains in Kano State.
In his words, returning power to political opponents without resistance was “a costly political error.”
Despite the tension, Kwankwaso urged supporters to remain calm and focused.
He advised them to respond with restraint rather than confrontation, emphasising that internal discipline remains critical as the 2027 elections draw closer.
“Our strength has always been unity and patience,” he said. “If we lose those, we lose everything else.”