Kwankwaso Won’t Get Presidential Ticket – Keyamo Lists Ex-Gov’s Options

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said that a former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has “boxed himself into one of the tightest corners in his political career”.

Keyamo stated that this was due to what he described as indecision or refusal to accept an earlier political olive branch from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Keyamo made the assertion in a statement issued on Sunday, where he analysed Kwankwaso’s political options and prospects ahead of the 2027 general election.

The minister said he had always admired Kwankwaso “from a distance” but argued that recent political developments had significantly narrowed the former governor’s options.

According to Keyamo, Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition lies at the heart of his current political dilemma.

“Kwankwaso wants to be President, but none of the major political parties will pick him as a candidate in 2027,” Keyamo said.

He added that both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party were expected to zone their presidential tickets to the South, while insisting that the African Democratic Congress ticket was “Atiku’s to lose.”

Keyamo further argued that only a major political party could win a presidential election in Nigeria.

He described the New Nigeria Peoples Party as a “one-state party,” warning that with the recent wave of defections — including that of the Kano State governor — the party’s hold on Kano could weaken by 2027.

“A leader is only as strong as his devoted lieutenants,” the minister said.

According to Keyamo, Kwankwaso would not support a northern presidential candidate in 2027, as doing so would effectively end his own ambition.

“Kwankwaso will not support a Northern candidate because that ends his own presidential ambition,” he said, adding that waiting another 16 years for power rotation would not be politically realistic.

“That entirely rules out an Atiku–Kwankwaso cooperation in 2027,” Keyamo stated.

Keyamo said that based on prevailing political realities, 2031 appeared to be Kwankwaso’s most realistic presidential window.

However, he warned that the alliances Kwankwaso builds in 2027 would be decisive for his relevance in 2031.

“If his grip on Kano slips in 2027, it will water down his clout and influence in 2031,” he said.

The minister narrowed Kwankwaso’s realistic alliance options to the PDP, APC and Labour Party, noting that each came with significant challenges.

On the PDP, Keyamo said Kwankwaso could return under certain terms but that zoning the presidential ticket to the South would suspend his ambition until 2031.

He added that such a move would likely signal the end of the NNPP.

On the APC option, Keyamo said the ruling party was no longer desperate for Kwankwaso, especially with key NNPP figures defecting to the APC in Kano.

“The APC cannot throw its entire structure in Kano under the bus for a Kwankwaso,” he said, adding that joining the APC would also mean putting presidential ambition on hold until 2031.

On the Labour Party, Keyamo said the option was even more limited.

“The 2027 Labour Party option for Kwankwaso is narrower because he simply cannot and will not run as Vice-Presidential candidate to Peter Obi,” he said.

He added that Kwankwaso’s supporters would not back another extended southern presidency.

Keyamo concluded that Kwankwaso was at a decisive point in his political career.

“The decision he makes now may retire him permanently from politics or revive his presidential ambition,” he said.

He warned that without an alliance with a major party, Kwankwaso risked remaining what he described as a “local champion,” whose influence could fade with the current challenges facing the NNPP.