Photo: L-R Obi and Kwankwaso
By: Mandy Park
Former Governor of Kano State and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has revealed that his daughter urged him to align politically with Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Kwankwaso made the disclosure during an interview on ARISE News while speaking on the growing political consciousness among Nigerian youths and their influence on the country’s electoral process.
According to the former presidential candidate, the 2023 elections reflected a major shift in the political orientation of younger Nigerians, many of whom, he said, placed greater emphasis on competence, credibility, and good governance rather than ethnic or religious affiliations.
He noted that the changing political mindset was evident even within his own household.
“Even in the 2023 election, in my own house, my own daughter was telling me to go and work with Peter Obi,” Kwankwaso stated.
The former Defence Minister observed that many established political leaders have failed to maintain meaningful engagement with young Nigerians despite their growing numerical strength and influence, particularly on social media.
He argued that the younger generation is increasingly demanding visionary leadership capable of tackling Nigeria’s economic and social challenges instead of politicians who rely on divisive ethnic or religious sentiments to mobilise support.
According to Kwankwaso “You have leaders who hardly have any contact with the young men and women.
“People are talking of religion. Some people are talking of ethnicity, but the younger people are looking for the right leadership for this country. And I think they are absolutely right,” he added.
Kwankwaso and Obi were both major contenders in the 2023 presidential election, with Obi contesting under the Labour Party platform while Kwankwaso flew the flag of the NNPP.
Ahead of the election, there had been widespread speculations and calls from supporters of both politicians for a possible alliance aimed at challenging the dominance of the two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, the proposed coalition did not materialise before the polls.
Political analysts have continued to note the increasing influence of young voters in Nigeria’s democratic process, especially following the surge in youth participation witnessed during the 2023 general elections.
