• Loyalists of Rabiu Kwankwaso and Atiku Abubakar endorsed Peter Obi for the 2027 presidential election
• The group said supporting another region was necessary for fairness and national unity
• Coalition leaders said the alliance among Obi, Atiku, and Kwankwaso supporters remains strong despite rumours of division

Supporters loyal to former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have declared support for Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The endorsement was announced on Friday, May 8, during a coalition meeting in Abuja attended by members of the Obidient Movement, the Kwankwasiyya Movement, and the Coalition of Atiku Support Groups Initiative.

Speaking at the gathering, spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Muhammed, said the group decided to align with Obi because of his leadership record and commitment to national development.

According to him, the 2027 election could trigger a political shift driven by ordinary Nigerians determined to choose credible leaders with proven track records.

Muhammed praised Kwankwaso’s achievements in education and governance, noting that leadership should be based on performance rather than experimentation.

He recalled how Kwankwaso returned to power in Kano after losing re-election and went on to establish another state university and invest heavily in education.

He argued that education remains one of the strongest tools for national growth and social development, adding that Kwankwaso’s investments in human capital distinguished him as a transformational leader.

Muhammed also revealed that members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement had agreed to support a candidate from another region in the interest of fairness, unity, and national balance.

He maintained that Obi shares similar leadership qualities with Kwankwaso, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development, making him a suitable choice for the movement’s support in 2027.

Also speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the Coalition of Atiku Support Groups Initiative, Obinna Okorie, appealed to Atiku to back Obi’s presidential ambition.

Okorie explained that the coalition reached its decision after assessing the country’s political climate and Obi’s growing popularity across different regions.

He noted that many members of the group had supported Atiku since the 2019 election and still regarded him as a respected political leader. However, he said current realities and Nigeria’s political balance made Obi the preferred option for 2027.

Meanwhile, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, described the alliance as a strong indication that opposition forces were becoming more united ahead of the next election cycle.

Tanko dismissed speculations that the coalition had collapsed, insisting that supporters of Obi, Atiku, and Kwankwaso remained committed to working together to challenge the ruling establishment.

The endorsements come amid increasing political consultations and coalition-building efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

Atiku signals willingness to step aside for Obi in ADC 2027 presidential race

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he was prepared to step aside for Peter Obi if the latter emerges as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku addressed growing speculation over a potential contest between leading opposition figures within the ADC. Both he and Obi were widely regarded as frontrunners for the party’s presidential ticket.