Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has a blunt message for state governors banking on rigged elections and the machinery of incumbency to sail through in 2027: brace for a rude shock. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate delivered the warning on Sunday in Abuja during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series, and he didn’t mince words.
The former Kano State governor pointed a finger at governors who, having failed to deliver on their promises, are now scrambling to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Their logic, he suggested, is that the party’s political muscle will guarantee them another term. But Kwankwaso sees a different script unfolding.
“What I foresee in the 2027 elections is that most of the governors seeking re-election will be disappointed because people will not support them,” he said. He argued that voters are no longer swayed by who controls state structures or which party flag they wave. The growing national anger over insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and crumbling public services is reshaping the electoral landscape, and politicians who ignore that do so at their peril.
Kwankwaso highlighted the alarming number of children out of school and the relentless insecurity plaguing communities as proof that citizens are demanding real leadership, not political theatrics. He contrasted this with his own record in office, touting his administration’s expansion of access to primary, secondary, and tertiary education for qualified residents. He also pointed to his government’s efforts to tackle the Almajiri challenge and investments in educational infrastructure, including student hostels.
The senator was equally scathing about the flood of opposition politicians defecting to the APC, accusing them of chasing political advantage ahead of the 2027 polls rather than serving the people. Yet, he insisted, the ultimate verdict rests with Nigerian voters, no matter how much machinery an incumbent governor controls. When public resources are prioritised and channelled into pressing needs, he argued, governments can genuinely improve lives. Anything less, and the ballot box will tell the story.
