2027: APC Governors Fear Obi’s Popularity – Kwankwaso
...Says Nigerians Are Angry, Ready for Change
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said that governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are concerned about the growing popularity of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso also expressed confidence in the NDC’s chances, insisting that Nigerians, particularly those facing insecurity and economic hardship, were seeking a change in government.
He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Kwankwaso noted that the support APC governors are giving President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid does not necessarily translate into electoral victory, arguing that the political dynamics have changed.
He stated that the governors appeared to be relying on the president, just as he believed the president was relying on them, because neither side was sufficiently confident of winning independently.
“They themselves believe that they are not competent enough to win elections on their own, and therefore they had to lean towards the president,” he said.
The former Kano State governor maintained that the NDC had built a formidable political alliance, citing Obi’s popularity in Southern Nigeria and the strength of his own political movement in the North.
“I can tell you that there is no governor and not even the Villa; there is none of them who is not concerned about the popularity of our candidate, the ticket itself and, of course, our party,” he said.
Kwankwaso further asserted that the political elite’s support for the ruling party did not necessarily reflect the mood of ordinary Nigerians, whom he said were bearing the consequences of insecurity, poverty, and high energy costs.
He added that many Nigerians were experiencing difficult living conditions and were looking for an alternative to the current administration.
“Outside here and even here in Abuja, I can tell you, people are very angry and people are looking for a way out.”
He described the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as the alternative he believed Nigerians needed, expressing confidence that the alliance could deliver the change many citizens were seeking.
“I personally believe that they don’t understand the dynamics now, but from now to election day they will realise that the APC has made very serious mistakes over the years,” he remarked.
He equally alleged that some politicians and their associates had discussed manipulating election results if they believed they lacked sufficient public support.
