Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has declared that former Kano State Governor and NNPP national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will not secure a presidential ticket from any major political party in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement published on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Keyamo described Kwankwaso as having "boxed himself into one of the tightest corners in his political career," attributing this to his refusal to accept an earlier olive branch from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ongoing weakening of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano.
Keyamo argued that Kwankwaso's presidential ambition faces insurmountable barriers:
Major parties like the APC and PDP are expected to zone their 2027 presidential tickets to the South.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket is effectively controlled by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
NNPP remains a one-state party (Kano), further eroded by recent defections, including Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's return to the APC.
He emphasized that Kwankwaso would not support a Northern presidential candidate in 2027, as it would delay his own ambitions by at least 16 years (8 for a Northern winner followed by 8 for Southern rotation), leaving him at age 86 for a realistic shot.
Keyamo outlined potential alliance scenarios for Kwankwaso, all of which would require suspending his 2027 presidential bid in favor of a 2031 run:Returning to PDP on favorable terms (e.g., controlling party structures in Kano and parts of the North-West), potentially signaling NNPP's end.
Joining APC, where he would be welcomed as an asset but unable to dictate terms amid strengthened APC structures in Kano post-defections.
Aligning with Labour Party only if Peter Obi returns and picks the ticket — though Keyamo ruled out Kwankwaso accepting a vice-presidential slot, as it would extend Southern tenure.
He warned that without a strategic handshake with a major party, Kwankwaso risks remaining a "local champion" whose influence and NNPP's grip on Kano could fade entirely by 2027, jeopardizing any future national ambitions.
Keyamo noted his long-standing admiration for Kwankwaso from afar but stressed that the current political calculus leaves him with limited viable options ahead of the next elections.
No immediate response has been issued from Kwankwaso or the NNPP regarding the minister's assessment.
The comments come amid heightened political realignments in Kano following Governor Yusuf's defection to APC.
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