Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has dismissed the prospects of a proposed 2027 presidential ticket pairing the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, with his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, insisting the duo lack the political record and governance credentials needed to win the election.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Ganduje argued that an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would fail to attract support in Kano State, describing the alliance as “dead on arrival.”
“I don’t think Peter Obi and Kwankwaso’s ticket will succeed in Kano. It will not succeed. In fact, it is dead on arrival,” he said.
Ganduje questioned Obi’s performance during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the former governor had not demonstrated the level of leadership required to govern Nigeria.
“Peter Obi was a governor in Anambra State. What did he do as a governor? What legacy did he leave as a governor?
“And from that, what other responsibility in governance did he hold where he made a mark to the extent that we believe he will be able to manage this country effectively and efficiently?” he asked.
Turning to Kwankwaso, Ganduje also criticised the former Kano State governor’s political record, noting that he did not secure two consecutive terms in office, unlike other former governors of the state.
“Kwankwaso too, he was a governor of Kano State. He was not able to be a governor back-to-back.
“So far, the two other governors in Kano were able to win elections back-to-back. Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was able to spend eight years straight. Myself, I was able to spend eight years straight.
“But he was not able, after the first term, to return until after eight years,” Ganduje said.
According to him, Kwankwaso has not left behind a legacy strong enough to persuade voters in Kano or across the country that he is capable of serving effectively as Nigeria’s vice-president.
“So I don’t think, even in Kano, what legacy specifically can you say that he has left in Kano that will convince the people of Kano and the people of Nigeria that he will be a successful vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
“I think that, as I earlier said, it is dead on arrival,” he added.
