APC jittery as likely Obi/Kwankwanso alliance gathers momentum in Kano

By Kingston Magare 23.3.2026
Nigerian opposition heavyweights former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, New Nigeria Peoples Party national chairman Rabiu Kwankwanso, Oyo State governor Seye Makinde and former Bayelsa State governor Seriake Dickson were in Kano Sunday, to celebrate the Muslim festival Eid-el-Fitr.
The gathering sparked speculations of a strong political alliance to disloge the ruling All Progressive Congress in the 2027 elections and based on the popularity of the meeting, the APC in Kano expressed concern.
The Miler Road residence of Kwankwanso was jammed pack with supporters who continually chanted “Obi/Kwankwanso.”
However, Obi addressing the crowd said it was not a political gathering but to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr with Kwankwaso.
“I’m here to felicitate with you on the occasion of Sallah and to pay my respect to our leader,” Obi said.
“We want to change Kano. We want to build a new Kano,” he said.
“What we want to do is bring back the power of Kano — all those factories in Bompai, Sharada 1, Sharada 2, Bank of the North—we want to bring all of them back. Today is not politics; it is the celebration of Sallah.”
But APC Kano publicity secretary Auwal Mai-Nage was not amused. He said the meeting and any alliance will not shift the balance of power in Kano.
“We are genuinely surprised to see Kwankwaso and Peter Obi aligning in this manner.
“For Kwankwaso to prioritise such alliances over local considerations raises serious questions about his political strategy,” he told the Punch.
Kwankwanso remain very popular in Kano, which is a swing State in the presidential election, political analysts believe that should Obi and Kwankwanso forge an alliance and are able to win the support of the Northern States, President Bola Tinubu’s path to winning a second term in 2027 will be slippery slope.