By Mary Onyia
The vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has urged a group of Fulani people to persuade former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race in favor of Peter Obi.
Kwankwaso made the appeal on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, explaining that he used a courtesy visit by the group to his residence as an opportunity to seek their intervention. “I asked them to create time before going back to their towns and villages to talk to Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential election,” he said.
Explaining his appeal, the former Kano State governor said he knew Atiku well and had worked closely with him in the past. “Atiku is somebody that I know fairly well, and I have done so much together with him in the past, more than anybody who is around him today,” Kwankwaso said.
During the earlier meeting with the group, Kwankwaso had urged them to tell Atiku, who holds the traditional title of Wazirin Adamawa, to focus on his traditional responsibilities, citing his age and health. He also pledged that he and Obi would take care of the former vice president if they won the 2027 election, as opposition parties continue to face the challenge of agreeing on a common candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu.