Kwankwaso, Obi, Dickson assembly surprises Kano APC

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has expressed shock over the latest Eid-el-Fitr gathering hosted by the Nationwide Chief of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, which introduced collectively former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.

The assembly, held on Sunday at Kwankwaso’s residence on Miller Street in Kano, additionally drew the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.

It was a part of the Sallah celebrations and included photograph alternatives of the opposition figures, which Kwankwaso shared on his verified X account.

Kwankwaso described the gathering as a second of unity and joyous 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 everybody peace, blessings, and prosperity.”

Nonetheless, the APC in Kano reacted with shock, questioning each the timing and political relevance of the gathering.

The social gathering’s Publicity Secretary, Auwal Mai-Nage, advised The PidomNigeria on Monday that the assembly was sudden and disconnected from the political realities in Kano.

“We’re genuinely shocked to see Kwankwaso and Peter Obi aligning on this method.

“It is a Muslim gathering, but Obi is broadly perceived as having restricted engagement with Muslim communities. For Kwankwaso to prioritise such alliances over native issues raises critical questions on his political technique.”

He additionally criticised the turnout of members, suggesting that it was far beneath expectations for an occasion that includes distinguished nationwide figures.

“For an occasion that introduced collectively two presidential candidates and key opposition leaders, the attendance was notably low. Even a neighborhood authorities chairman in Kano can mobilise a bigger crowd,” he mentioned.

Mai-Nage additional alleged that Obi’s political strikes had been pushed by regional issues and expressed disappointment that Kwankwaso, a long-standing political determine within the North, would endorse such alignments.

Observers notice that the gathering could also be an early indicator of opposition realignment forward of the 2027 basic elections.

Kwankwaso had beforehand held a closed-door assembly with Governor Makinde in Ibadan in February, fuelling hypothesis of attainable coalitions amongst opposition figures in search of to problem the ruling APC on the nationwide stage.

Regardless of the shock expressed by the Kano APC, the social gathering downplayed the importance of the assembly, insisting that it doesn’t represent a critical political problem inside the state.