- Reuben Abati says Rabiu Kwankwaso’s defection to the ADC could reshape the opposition ahead of 2027, strengthening the party with key figures like Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar.
- He highlighted Kano’s electoral importance and raised concerns over who will secure the party’s presidential ticket amid emerging alliances like the proposed “PitaKwa.”
Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Reuben Abati, has said the reported defection of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could significantly reshape Nigeria’s opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise Television on Tuesday, Abati noted that Kwankwaso’s move, alongside his supporters from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has strengthened the ADC and positioned it as a coalition platform for major opposition figures.
According to him, the development brings together prominent politicians including Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Atiku Abubakar under one umbrella.
Abati stressed the political importance of Kano State in presidential elections, describing it as a key battleground due to its large voting population and 44 local government areas.
“Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso has now moved with his NNPP and Kwankwasiyya supporters to the ADC.
What has happened with that movement is that the ADC has been strengthened, and it now has a collection of, you know, frontline opposition figures. You have Peter Obi there. You have Rotimi Amaechi there. You have Atiku Abubakar also there,” he said.
He added:
“And Kano, as I’ve stated previously on this platform, is a very important platform in Nigerian elections. You are talking about 44 local government councils. You are talking about a large proportion of voters.
There are some states that you need to win in this country if you want to be president. Kano is one of them, also Rivers, and Lagos.”
The analyst further described Kwankwaso as the most influential politician in Kano State, noting that his entry into the ADC could shift the dynamics of the 2027 race.
“And now you have the most prominent politician today in Kano state joining the ADC.”
Abati also revealed that Kwankwaso was previously expected to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), but political developments altered that path.
“He was supposed to have joined the APC. We were told that there were conversations, but then his godson, the governor of the state, joined the APC before him.”
However, he raised concerns about internal party dynamics within the ADC, particularly regarding its presidential ticket, noting that Kwankwaso has long harboured presidential ambitions.
“Now, would they give him the ticket? Will he become a running mate to another person?”
Abati referenced ongoing speculations about a potential alliance between Kwankwaso and Obi, popularly dubbed “PitaKwa,” and questioned its feasibility and implications for other political heavyweights.
“I’ve been seeing people saying ‘PitaKwa’ 2027, suggesting that he will be a running mate to Peter Obi of the ADC. Is that going to work? Is that going to play out?
Where does that leave Waziri Adamawa, our former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, will he also just sit back and allow ‘Pitakwa’ in the ADC?”
He concluded by noting that the unfolding developments signal the beginning of intense political maneuvering ahead of the next general elections.
“So we’re just seeing the early moments of the drama, and there’s going to be a lot of drama, either from the politicians themselves or from the entertainment.”
