Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso met NDC governorship candidates in Abuja as the party strengthens its preparations for the 2027 election
Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor and NDC vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso met the party’s governorship candidates from Bauchi, Sokoto and Borno in Abuja on Monday, August 10, 2026, as the opposition party intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections.
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The meeting was held at Kwankwaso’s residence in Maitama and brought together Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, the NDC governorship candidate for Bauchi State; Dr Shamsu Aliyu, the party’s candidate for Sokoto State; and retired Admiral Sunusi Sir Kashim Ibrahim, the NDC candidate for Borno State.
The discussions centred on campaign strategy, candidate readiness and coordination among the party’s structures ahead of the elections.
According to the NDC, the meeting provided an opportunity for the party’s national leaders and governorship candidates to assess preparations and develop coordinated campaigns aimed at securing victory for the party’s candidates at different levels.
The gathering also featured former federal lawmaker and NDC leader Buba Galadima, alongside Kebbi State Chairman Alhaji Mustapha Umar and Sokoto State Chairman Alhaji Bello Sani Yabo. Other party officials and stakeholders were also present.
The engagement comes at an important stage in the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, with the party seeking to build stronger coordination between its national leadership, state structures and candidates.
For Obi and Kwankwaso, the meeting also provides an opportunity to deepen their working relationship with candidates who will carry the party’s message into key northern states.
The NDC ticket was formally affirmed at the party’s special convention in Abuja in May 2026. Delegates endorsed Obi as the presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as his running mate for the 2027 election.
The convention marked a significant moment for the relatively new political platform, which has positioned itself as an opposition force ahead of the next presidential contest.
Obi, who previously contested the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate, and Kwankwaso, who ran under the New Nigeria Peoples Party in the same election, now form the NDC’s presidential ticket for 2027.
The party has since moved beyond the presidential ticket to establish candidates for other elective positions, including governorship and legislative seats.
Its current focus is increasingly shifting towards campaign organisation and building structures capable of translating the national ticket into electoral support across the states.
The latest meeting therefore carries both organisational and political significance, particularly as the party seeks to establish a coordinated presence in northern states such as Bauchi, Sokoto and Borno.
While the NDC highlighted its plans for coordinated campaigns, the party still faces the broader challenge of turning national enthusiasm around its leading figures into effective grassroots organisation across Nigeria’s diverse political landscape.
For the governorship candidates, the meeting with Obi and Kwankwaso offers a platform to align their individual campaigns with the wider NDC presidential campaign and ensure that the party’s message remains consistent at state and national levels.
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With the 2027 general elections approaching, further meetings between the national leadership and state candidates are expected as the NDC continues to consolidate its structures and prepare for what is likely to be a closely contested political cycle.
