Former presidential candidate and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Tuesday, February 24, held a closed-door meeting with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, fuelling speculation about possible political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso, who was the NNPP’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 elections and a former governor of Kano State, described the visit as a courtesy call. However, the timing and profile of the meeting have drawn public attention, particularly as discussions around opposition alliances continue to intensify.
The former Kano governor arrived with a delegation that included NNPP National Chairman Dr Ajuji Ahmed, National Publicity Secretary Ladipo Johnson, Secretary of the Board of Trustees Buba Galadima and other senior party officials. The party was in Oyo State for the inauguration of its state office and internal consultations.
Despite this, the meeting with Makinde, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), attracted widespread interest due to their differing political affiliations.
After about two hours behind closed doors, Kwankwaso addressed journalists and downplayed suggestions that the engagement was politically motivated.
“This visit is more about personal friendship than party politics. Governor Makinde and I have known each other for a long time. Before proceeding to our party engagement in the state, I felt it was proper to pay him a courtesy call,” he said.
Kwankwaso also reflected on his political history, noting that he was a founding member of the PDP in 1998 and was first elected governor of Kano State in 1999 on the party’s platform. He later served as Minister of Defence under a PDP administration and returned as governor in 2011, again under the PDP, before defecting to the All Progressives Congress and eventually emerging as leader of the NNPP.
Neither Kwankwaso nor Makinde disclosed details of their discussions, leaving room for continued speculation about potential cross-party cooperation ahead of 2027. Following the meeting, the NNPP delegation was expected to proceed with the inauguration of its state office in Oyo State.
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