The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has explained the reasoning behind his decision to pick former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking in an interview with The Sun published on Sunday, Obi said the choice was not driven by political convenience or electoral calculations alone, but by a shared commitment to transforming Nigeria through education, human capital development and poverty reduction.
According to the former Anambra State governor, both he and Kwankwaso subscribe to the same development philosophy, making them natural partners in their quest to lead the country.
Obi said Kwankwaso’s long-standing emphasis on education and social development mirrors his own vision for Nigeria.
“Kwankwaso has the philosophy of pulling people out of poverty,” Obi said.
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“I have the same philosophy. Kwankwaso believes in education. You cannot change society without education.”
He stressed that education would remain the cornerstone of his administration if elected, describing it as the most effective tool for lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty and repositioning the country for sustainable development.
“If you look at my X, formerly Twitter, I made it clear that I will emphasise education. Education is going to change society.
“Nigeria must be seen to form its innermost human capital, which we need to develop. Kwankwaso believes in this. I do. We have synergy.”
Obi noted that Nigeria’s biggest challenge is not a lack of resources but the failure to invest adequately in its people.
He argued that developing human capital through quality education, skills acquisition and economic empowerment would create the foundation for lasting national prosperity.
The NDC presidential candidate also dismissed widespread speculation that there are cracks in his political relationship with Kwankwaso.
He maintained that contrary to public perception, the two leaders have continued to work closely together and remain united ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
“I don’t know why people talk about differences between people who are working together. Have you ever seen us quarrelling?”
Obi attributed such rumours to Nigeria’s political culture, which he said is dominated by personal interests and transactional politics rather than shared national objectives.
“You see, people quarrel even in offices because of transactional governance. The country is in a mess because of transactional governance.”
He contrasted that style of politics with what he described as a transformational agenda focused on improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“I am not into transactional government. I am into transformational governance.
“We want to change the society and make it better. We want to pull people out of poverty, not the other way around.”
Obi and Kwankwaso were both presidential candidates in the 2023 general election.
Obi contested under the Labour Party, while Kwankwaso flew the flag of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). They finished third and fourth respectively behind President Bola Tinubu of the APC and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
In 2026, Obi, Kwankwaso and Atiku were among opposition leaders who initially formed an alliance under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a bid to build a united front ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, both Obi and Kwankwaso later dumped the coalition and moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), citing unresolved internal crises and legal disputes within the ADC.
Their decision paved the way for a joint presidential ticket, with Obi emerging as the party’s presidential candidate and Kwankwaso accepting the position of running mate.
Asked why such an alliance did not materialise before the 2023 election, Obi declined to dwell on past political calculations, insisting his attention is fixed on the future.
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“Those who think about yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. The past is gone. We are talking about the present.”
He suggested that Nigeria’s current realities require forward-looking leadership rather than endless debates over missed political opportunities.
Obi also brushed aside concerns about possible rivalry between supporters of the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement, two of the country’s most influential political support bases.
According to him, both groups are united by a common aspiration to build a better Nigeria.
“We do not just have large followers alone. People are gravitating to what is right.”
“How are we going to manage them? We have no problem whatsoever. We want to change the society. Our followers want a changed and better society.”
He expressed confidence that the two movements would work together seamlessly because they are driven by the same objective of rescuing Nigeria from poverty, unemployment and poor governance.
Obi added that the focus of the NDC campaign would remain on policies capable of transforming the economy, improving education, creating jobs and restoring confidence in public institutions, rather than personality politics or political transactions.
