Festus Keyamo, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, on Sunday declared that the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has “boxed himself into one of the tightest corner[s] in his political career.”
The statement was made in a lengthy social media post in which Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), analysed Kwankwaso’s dwindling options ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Keyamo attributed the former Kano State governor’s predicament to his refusal to accept an earlier political “Olive Branch” offered by the APC. “He appears to have boxed himself into one of the tightest corner in his political career simply because of his refusal/indecision to take the Olive Branch that was offered him by APC much earlier,” Keyamo wrote.
In a point-by-point breakdown, the minister argued that Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition faces near-insurmountable hurdles.
“Kwankwaso wants to be President, but none of the major political parties will pick him as a candidate in 2027,” Keyamo stated, describing the NNPP as “still a one-State Party” whose grip on Kano is weakening due to defections, including that of the sitting governor. He emphasised, “A leader is only as strong as his devoted lieutenants.”
Keyamo also ruled out a potential alliance between Kwankwaso and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing regional political calculations.
“Kwankwaso WILL NOT support a Northern candidate because that ends his own Presidential ambition,” he explained, noting that such a move could delay Kwankwaso’s bid by 16 years. “He will be 86 years old by then. So, this entirely rules out an ATIKU-Kwankwaso cooperation in 2027.”
The APC chieftain outlined that Kwankwaso’s only viable alliances for relevance lie with the PDP, APC, or a Peter Obi-led Labour Party, but each path presents severe compromises. According to Keyamo, joining either the PDP or APC would force Kwankwaso to “suspend his Presidential ambition till 2031,” while a Labour Party alliance as a vice-presidential candidate is unlikely. “He simply cannot and will not run as Vice-Presidential candidate to Peter Obi. Take that to the bank,” Keyamo asserted.
Concluding his analysis, Keyamo presented a stark ultimatum for the NNPP leader. “Kwankwaso is in a very difficult political crossroads. The decision he makes now may retire him permanently from politics or revive his Presidential ambition.” He further warned, “Just like late Buhari and the CPC, without a handshake with another major Party, he will remain a local champion with his NNPP, but that too may soon vanish with the present predicament of the Party in Kano”, he wrote.
The detailed critique has ignited fresh debate about political realignments ahead of 2027, with many observers now watching for Kwankwaso’s strategic response to what an opponent has framed as a career-defining dilemma.
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