Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano state, says younger Nigerians are more interested in competent leadership than ethnicity or religion, revealing that his daughter urged him to work with Peter Obi during the 2023 election.
Kwankwaso spoke on Monday night during an interview on ARISE News’s Prime Time programme.
The former Kano governor also signalled his readiness to work with Obi politically, including serving as his deputy if necessary.
Speaking on his decision to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside Obi for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Kwankwaso said the move was not due to personal disagreement with Atiku Abubakar.
According to him, both politicians exited the ADC because of unresolved internal issues within the party.
“We decided to leave the party because we realised that there are some issues,” he said.
“As it stands now, they have three major issues which we believe from our own side are very difficult to resolve and field candidates.”
Kwankwaso stressed that politics should not be viewed as personal hostility.
“I’m not fighting anybody. And I’m not expecting anybody to fight me,” he said.
Reflecting on previous elections, the former governor recalled contesting against Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku in past presidential primaries and later supporting Atiku’s 2019 campaign in the north.
He, however, said Nigeria’s political reality has changed significantly, especially with the growing influence of young voters.
“You have leaders who hardly have any contact with the young men and women,” he said.
“People of my age, especially the age of Atiku, are very few in this country comparatively with the younger people.”
Kwankwaso revealed that even within his household, younger family members pushed for collaboration with Obi in 2023.
“You will be surprised, even in 2023 election, in my own house, my own daughter was telling me to go and work with Peter Obi,” he said.
“She didn’t say she was Obidient, but she wanted me to work together with him.”
The former defence minister also claimed that support for the Kwankwasiyya movement cuts across regional and social lines.
“There may be Kwankwasiyya people in houses in the south you wouldn’t know,” he said.
“Maybe your watchman is Kwankwasiyya, maybe your house boy that cooks for you is Kwankwasiyya.”
Kwankwaso said many older politicians still focus on religion and ethnicity, while younger Nigerians are searching for credible leadership.
“But the younger people are looking for the right leadership for this country,” he said.
“And I think they are absolutely right.”
