The 2023 presidential candidate and national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with Seyi Makinde, at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, Oyo State, in a development that has drawn political attention amid ongoing permutations ahead of the 2027 general election.
The private meeting, which was not open to the press, took place within the premises of the Oyo State Government House and was confirmed by party officials and aides, although no official communiqué was issued at the end of the engagement.
While the specific details and resolutions of the discussion were not disclosed to the public, political observers believe the meeting was largely connected to consolidating the long-standing cordial and personal relationship between the two politicians, who have maintained mutual respect across party lines over the years.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and a seasoned political figure, arrived in Ibadan with a high-powered delegation comprising key members of his party’s national leadership. Among those in his entourage were the NNPP National Chairman, Ajid Ahmed, the National Publicity Secretary, Najipo Johnson, as well as other top-ranking officials of the party.
The presence of the NNPP’s national officers underscored the strategic importance of the visit, even as party sources maintained that the primary focus was organisational rather than coalition-building.
After the closed-door session with Makinde, Kwankwaso addressed journalists and offered insight into the purpose of his visit, stressing that his presence in Ibadan was mainly to inaugurate the NNPP’s newly established state office as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s internal structure, cohesion, and grassroots presence in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 polls.
Explaining the rationale behind the courtesy visit to the governor, Kwankwaso said the engagement transcended partisan politics and was rooted in personal friendship and long-standing mutual respect.
“I am here in Ibadan together with the national chairman of our party, NNPP, Dr Ajid Ahmed, and other party officials to open our office here and discuss important issues relating to our party in Oyo State. But before proceeding to the party office, I felt it was important to pay a courtesy visit to the governor, who has always been our friend.
This visit is more about personal friendship than party politics,” he said. Kwankwaso openly acknowledged that Makinde is a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party, while noting that political affiliation had not diminished their relationship. He also reflected on his own deep political roots in the PDP, recounting his early involvement in the formation of the party and his rise through its ranks.
“In fact, we formed the PDP in 1998. By 1999, I was elected Governor of Kano State under the PDP and later served as Minister of Defence,” he said, adding that his service under the party extended beyond elective office. “I also returned to Kano under the PDP and served in various national and international capacities, including as an envoy in Darfur and Somalia.”
Kwankwaso further traced his political journey across party lines, recalling that he later aligned with the All Progressives Congress before eventually pitching his tent with the NNPP, where he now serves as national leader.
Following the meeting with Makinde, the former Kano State governor proceeded to inaugurate the NNPP’s state office in Ibadan, an event he described as a deliberate move to firmly establish the party’s presence in the Oyo State capital and to position it strategically ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to him, the opening of the office marked a significant step in strengthening the party’s organisational base and mobilising supporters in the South-West region.
The visit comes against the backdrop of recent political developments that have affected Kwankwaso’s influence within the national political space. Notably, he recently lost his political protégé and Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, to the APC, a development that has fuelled speculation about shifting alliances ahead of the next election cycle.
There have also been reports suggesting that the former Kano State governor may consider joining the African Democratic Congress as part of broader realignment talks.
Kwankwaso, however, has publicly stated that he would be willing to align with any political platform capable of offering him a presidential or vice-presidential ticket. Speaking specifically on the defection of Governor Yusuf to the APC, he said the NNPP would work to ensure that the governor does not return to office in 2027, signalling a determination to remain politically relevant and competitive despite recent setbacks.