The recent meeting between former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, and the leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has sparked fresh speculations about a northern coalition to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. This development comes amid a series of strategic visits by northern political figures to the home of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, raising eyebrows among political observers.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accompanied by former governors of Sokoto and Adamawa states, Senator Aminu Tambuwal and Jibrilla Bindow, recently paid a visit to Buhari, labeled a Sallah homage. El-Rufai followed suit with his visit, and shortly after, former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff also visited Buhari. Senator Shehu Sani criticized these visits, suggesting they were attempts to revive Buhari’s political influence and mobilize support for the 2027 election.
With both El-Rufai and Kwankwaso holding grievances against the Tinubu administration, their meeting is seen as part of a strategy to rally behind a formidable candidate for the next presidential race. Tinubu’s efforts to bring Kwankwaso into the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been complicated by Kwankwaso’s enmity with APC’s national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and a perceived betrayal after the 2023 elections.
El-Rufai’s political ambitions have been clouded by a non-clearance for a cabinet position and a recent indictment by the Kaduna State Assembly over alleged financial misappropriations. His meeting with various political leaders, including those from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and other influential figures, has fueled speculation about his 2027 plans.
Political analysts suggest that these meetings could be attempts to unsettle Tinubu’s administration, recalling how similar gatherings led to the formation of the APC in 2014, ending the PDP’s long rule. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s moves to forge a coalition for 2027 could also signal a significant political shift.
Hashimu Dungurawa, chairman of the NNPP in Kano State and a close ally of Kwankwaso, described the meeting between El-Rufai and Kwankwaso as a brotherly reunion, emphasizing their shared mission to rescue and improve Nigeria. Dungurawa dismissed allegations against Kwankwaso by the EFCC as politically motivated distractions, asserting Kwankwaso’s determination to reform the system.
As political tensions rise, efforts to get comments from the media aides of El-Rufai and Kwankwaso were unsuccessful. The unfolding political maneuvers indicate a brewing battle for Nigeria’s leadership in 2027, with northern political heavyweights at the forefront.
