The Obi and Kwankwaso portentous meet-up, Obasanjo’s reported discreet manoeuvring and Atiku’s supporters’ disgruntlement have all added up to the dizzying theatrics and intrigues that have exemplified the high-stakes politics in the build up the 2027 elections. One can only hope the nation and the people are not the pawns in what many of these political actors see as nothing more than a sickening game of power tussle.
On Sunday, pictures and videos of former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, in Kano State with former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, went viral on social media. Obi was attending the annual sallah homage which took place at the residence of Kwankwaso. The sallah homage is part of the Kwankwasiyya tradition. Kwankwasiyya is the name the loyal and dedicated supporters of Kwankwaso are fondly referred to. In a different time and place, the presence of Obi at the occasion may have drawn little attention and may be deemed as nothing more than an inconsequential courtesy visit, but with the 2027 presidential fast approaching and the frenzied politicking and dizzying gamesmanship that have characterised it, it is not unexpected that Obi’s gracing of the event will make headlines and definitely get tongues wagging in political circles.
What makes his presence at the event even more momentous and the pervasively delightful reaction it has generated among many Nigerians is the presence of Seyi Makinde, and Seriake Dickson, along with their esteemed entourages. In a political terrain like ours that is deemed by many as a treacherous and dangerous place filled with reprobates and depraved charlatans who will do anything for power, characters like Obi and Kwankwaso are often seen by many as a breath of fresh air because of their creed, antecedents, records and popularity among many Nigerians. In the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, many Nigerians yearned for a presidential ticket of Obi/Kwankwaso as they felt it would have been the strongest and most formidable ticket on the ballot at the time. Certain prominent and influential figures made genuine, serious and concerted efforts to ensure such a ticket materialise but it did not happen. Ego and ambition made sure of that as both men did not want to be a running mate to the other believing they had what it took to do it alone and in doing so divided the votes of the opposition and inadvertently handed the APC victory at the polls.
But three years have passed since that highly controversial victory of President Bola Tinubu and no one can say for sure if the defeat at the polls has been enough to unite and galvanise the opposition, pump them full with the passion, adrenaline, determination and above all strategic planning needed to oust the ruling party in 2027. The truth is the opposition today is more divided and weakened than it was at any point before the 2023 presidential election. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been viciously emasculated, and the Labour Party has lost the vigour and appeal it had in 2023 largely due to the exit of Peter Obi, who singlehandedly pulled the party out of obscurity and catapulted it into the mainstream of Nigerian politics. The coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC), with whom many troubled and disaffected Nigerians now pín their hopes has not particularly shown the type of contagious energy, tact, foresight, bravado and ruthlessness one would expect from an opposition party that is in the position it finds itself.
Having said that, the concern of many is the opposition going into the 2027 presidential election making the same mistake they made in 2023 by having multiple prominent and heavyweight politicians running for the presidency on different platforms instead of them coming together and rallying behind one particular candidate who is popular and fiercely loved by the preponderance of Nigerians. And this is what many Nigerians are hoping the somewhat unusual meet-up between Obi and Kwankwaso will achieve. In Nigeria politics, brutal scheming and aggressive plotting to stay one step ahead of one’s political opponents and adversaries are part of the game and many Nigerians are now hoping the presence of Obi in Kano yesterday is not just some plot to hoodwink the ruling party, lead it on a wild goose chase and shift it attention to somewhere else while keeping his card close to his chest but a well calculated and pragmatic plan aimed at forging the most formidable alliance that could produce what many believe will not just be the best but strongest joint ticket capable of ousting the APC.
However, some believe that the best time the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket with Obi as the front runner and Kwankwaso as the running mate would have stood a real chance was in 2023 when there was no incumbent and all the candidates were contesting on a somewhat even playing field. They think it will be extremely hard if not nearly impossible now that Tinubu is in power and he is aggressively and ruthlessly consolidating power. The feelers we are now getting are that former president Olusegun Obasanjo is the unseen hand pulling the strings behind a curtain. The brain behind the new Obi and Kwankwaso newfound bromance and his ultimate goal is to have the duo on the ballot as the ADC presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate for the 2027 election. Obasanjo, according to people who are familiar with the development, has been working towards actualising this since late last year.
Obasanjo’s reported plot to mastermind Obi/Kwankwaso’s presidential ticket has caused grumbling and triggered a fit of exasperation in the camp of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who hitherto was certain that their man would secure the ticket of the ADC. The Obi and Kwankwaso portentous meet-up, Obasanjo’s reported discreet manoeuvring and Atiku’s supporters’ disgruntlement have all added up to the dizzying theatrics and intrigues that have exemplified the high-stakes politics in the build up the 2027 elections. One can only hope the nation and the people are not the pawns in what many of these political actors see as nothing more than a sickening game of power tussle.