Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against assuming that control of more than 30 states will guarantee victory in the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, said the number of governors controlled by a political party does not automatically translate into electoral victory.
He made the remarks on Thursday at an NDC Town Hall Meeting in Rivers State, where he also criticised the performance of some state governments, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
According to Kwankwaso, political parties should not assume that an incumbent government is guaranteed victory simply because it has governors across a large number of states.
“The sitting president lost the election. I’m giving you an example, especially those who think because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That is a very big mistake,” he said.
The former Kano governor argued that previous elections had demonstrated that political control at the state level does not necessarily determine the outcome of a presidential election.
His comments come as political parties and potential presidential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 elections.
Kwankwaso also claimed that some governors, especially in the North, could face difficulties campaigning for President Bola Tinubu and their respective political parties because of what he described as dissatisfaction with their performance in office.
“By the grace of God, all of them, especially the ones in the North, because I studied the trend. The trend is those governors and their party have performed woefully to the extent that it is very difficult for them even to come out and campaign,” he said.
He further questioned how state governments have utilised the increased revenue available to them, arguing that higher allocations have not translated into significant improvements in the living conditions of Nigerians.
Kwankwaso recalled that when he became governor in 1999, state and local governments received substantially lower allocations than they do today.
He said the increase in government revenue should have resulted in visible improvements in infrastructure and the welfare of citizens.
“Now in one year, we have seen it on social media that our government collected over N1.11tn, just less than one year. You go around, what have you done with that money? Close to nothing,” he said.
Kwankwaso said the perceived disconnect between government revenue and the living conditions of citizens could contribute to growing dissatisfaction with political leaders.
He argued that political office holders would ultimately have to answer to voters based on their performance rather than rely solely on party structures or the number of elected officials supporting them.
The former Kano governor also highlighted the security situation in Northern Nigeria, saying the region faces additional challenges because of persistent insecurity.
According to him, the impact of insecurity has compounded the economic and social difficulties confronting residents in the region.
Kwankwaso’s comments come against the backdrop of increasing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties seeking to challenge the APC’s control of the presidency and a large number of state governments.
The APC currently remains a dominant political force nationally, while opposition parties and political figures continue to explore alliances and strategies aimed at strengthening their chances in the next presidential contest.
For Kwankwaso, however, electoral strength cannot be measured simply by the number of governors a party controls.
He maintained that voters’ assessment of government performance, public sentiment and the ability of political parties to connect with Nigerians would remain critical factors in determining the outcome of the 2027 elections.
