Kano APC has reacted to Kwankwas’s hosting of Peter Obi, Makinde, and Dickson at Eid gathering.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano has expressed surprise over a recent Eid-el-Fitr gathering hosted by the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, which brought together several prominent opposition figures.
The meeting, held on Sunday at Kwankwaso’s residence on Miller Road in Kano, featured former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Seriake Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, and the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.
The gathering formed part of the Sallah celebrations, with photos of the meeting shared by Kwankwaso on his verified X account.
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Kwankwaso described the event as a moment of unity and celebration.
“Delighted to host Their Excellencies, Peter Obi, Seyi Makinde, and Seriake Dickson at my Kano residence for this joyful Sallah celebration,” he wrote. “Wishing everyone peace, blessings, and prosperity.”
However, the Kano chapter of the APC reacted with surprise, questioning both the timing and political significance of the meeting.
Speaking to The PUNCH on Monday, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Auwal Mai-Nage, said the gathering appeared unexpected and disconnected from the political realities in Kano.
“We are genuinely surprised to see Kwankwaso and Peter Obi aligning in this manner,” he said.
“This is a Muslim gathering, yet Obi is widely perceived as having limited engagement with Muslim communities. For Kwankwaso to prioritise such alliances over local considerations raises serious questions about his political strategy.”
Mai-Nage also criticised the turnout at the event, claiming it fell short of expectations for a gathering involving high-profile political figures.
“For an event that brought together two presidential candidates and key opposition leaders, the attendance was notably low. Even a local government chairman in Kano can mobilise a larger crowd,” he said.
The APC spokesperson further alleged that Obi’s political moves were largely influenced by regional considerations and expressed disappointment that Kwankwaso, a long-standing political figure in northern Nigeria, would endorse such alliances.
Political observers, however, believe the meeting may signal early moves toward opposition realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso had earlier held a closed-door meeting with Makinde in Ibadan in February, fuelling speculation about potential coalitions among opposition leaders seeking to challenge the ruling APC at the national level.
Despite the reaction from the Kano APC, the party downplayed the significance of the meeting, insisting that it does not pose a serious political challenge within the state.
