The former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, and former presidential flagbearer of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, visited the home of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, over the weekend “to discuss the political future of Nigeria,” but the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Sunday that it was not threatened.
Since Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, campaigned for President Bola Tinubu’s reelection for a second term, discussions on the 2027 generation elections have intensified in recent weeks.
When Tinubu has served out his second term in 2031, Akume claims that there won’t be a vacancy in Aso Rock.
However, the opposition refused to accept it and insisted that the ruling APC be ousted from office by 2027.
Kwankwaso and Duke, a candidate for president in 2007, met behind closed doors with former President Obasanjo in Abeokuta over the weekend.
Although their exact conversations have not been made public, people close to the leaders indicated that the gathering was a component of a broader attempt to plan for Nigeria’s general elections in 2027.
Leading Nigerian politician Obasanjo has been actively interacting with many stakeholders to investigate alternatives to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the ruling APC.
Recently, the former president has been harshly critical of Tinubu’s administration, denouncing the alleged corruption and mounting debt load.
Duke, a former governor from the south, is anticipated to offer his distinct viewpoint on national unity and governance, while Kwankwaso, a key player in Kano State politics, adds significant influence and followership.
Although the details of their discussion are yet unknown, Kwankwaso’s post-meeting remark suggested a shared desire to question the current political order and promote a different course for Nigerian politics.
“I was pleased to be in the company of my friend, His Excellency Donald Duke, and other associates to pay a courtesy call on former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his residence in Abeokuta,” Kwankwaso said, confirming the meeting on his verified Facebook profile.
He continued by saying, “The conversation was distinguished by discussions on important national concerns, such as Nigeria’s political and governance destiny. Baba’s kindness, assistance, and warm welcome are greatly appreciated.
In response to the development, however, Bala Ibrahim, the ruling APC’s national publicity director, rejected the meeting as a possibility for APC continuity in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday.
The opposition leaders and statesmen were overshadowed by Tinubu’s political prominence and relevance in today’s politics, Ibrahim claimed.
“Respectfully, I think highly of Obasanjo,” he stated. As an elder statesman, former president, and former head of state, I don’t want to argue with him. “
“However, Tinubu is not their mate when it comes to Nigerian politics, especially modern politics.
“In Nigerian politics today, Tinubu is far superior to them. Therefore, Tinubu is not in danger from the combo of Obasanjo, Kwankwaso, Peter Obi, and Donald Duke, a classmate of mine. These individuals were denigrated during the most recent election. It is not the first time that Obasanjo will support a cause and then defeat that cause. Recall that he backed Jonathan, the former president of Goodluck, who was defeated by Buhari. In the most recent election, Obasanjo backed Peter Obi once more, but Tinubu defeated them handily.
“Therefore, they won’t pose a danger to the APC government and can hold long meetings until the end of time. Who among Duke, Obasanjo, Obi, and Kwankwaso was not defeated? It’s another matter entirely if they are bringing angels. However, if these identically spent forces come together, there can be no positive result from their meeting.”
