The Vice Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has dismissed claims by former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, that the North would not support the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso, in a statement issued on Wednesday, described Sheriff’s remarks as misleading, insisting that Obi enjoys widespread acceptance across Northern Nigeria and cannot be written off politically in the region.
He said Sheriff was wrong to suggest that Northerners had already made up their minds against Obi, stressing that no individual could speak for the entire region or determine how its people would vote.
“It is both inaccurate and presumptuous for anyone to claim to speak for the entire North. The people of the region are politically conscious and will vote for the candidate they believe has the capacity, competence and integrity to lead Nigeria. Peter Obi enjoys genuine support across Northern Nigeria, and that support continues to grow,” Kwankwaso said.
According to Kwankwaso, Obi secured about 2.8 million votes across the North in the 2023 presidential election, a performance he said demonstrated the former Anambra State governor’s growing popularity and acceptance among Northern voters.
He argued that with the prevailing economic hardship and widespread public dissatisfaction in the country, support for Obi has continued to increase, making him a formidable contender ahead of the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso also rejected Sheriff’s claim that Kano voters would not support Obi, maintaining that the people of the state have consistently demonstrated political maturity by supporting credible candidates regardless of ethnicity or religion.
He further urged Sheriff to refrain from making divisive political comments and instead focus on issues affecting the people, particularly the security and humanitarian challenges confronting the North-East.
Kwankwaso maintained that the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso alliance represents a credible alternative capable of addressing Nigeria’s economic, security and governance challenges.
Sheriff had earlier claimed during a television interview that Northerners would never vote for Obi, alleging that the former Anambra State governor lacked the support needed to win the region in the 2027 presidential election.
