The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has ruled out withdrawing his party’s presidential ticket in favour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any other political party ahead of the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso stated his position in a Facebook post on Sunday, October 18, 2026, following criticism from the ADC Presidential Campaign Council over his recent comments about former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The NDC candidate accused the ADC campaign organisation of launching unnecessary attacks against him, presidential candidate Peter Obi and the party instead of concentrating on presenting its own policies and credentials to Nigerians.
He also rejected allegations that the NDC ticket was secretly working for President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the claims as unfounded.
Kwankwaso Insists NDC Ticket Will Remain in the Race
Kwankwaso said the NDC’s presidential ticket, which he shares with Obi, would remain in the contest.
He argued that the party had the capacity and commitment to address Nigeria’s challenges, including insecurity, economic hardship, education, agriculture, infrastructure and healthcare.
His remarks followed accusations from the ADC Presidential Campaign Council that his appeal for Atiku to withdraw from the presidential race was self-serving and could deepen divisions within the opposition.
The ADC campaign council had questioned why Kwankwaso was urging another opposition figure to step aside rather than concentrating on challenging the Tinubu administration.
Kwankwaso countered that the NDC was committed to presenting its own political alternative and urged supporters to remain focused on the party’s objectives.
Opposition Unity Faces Further Questions
The disagreement illustrates the difficulties opposition parties face as they consider possible alliances and strategies for challenging the incumbent in 2027.
Although some political actors have advocated a consensus candidate to avoid splitting opposition votes, competing ambitions and disagreements over leadership have complicated those efforts.
Kwankwaso’s latest declaration makes clear that the NDC does not intend to withdraw its ticket in favour of the ADC under the circumstances he described.
Whether the opposition can establish a broader agreement remains uncertain.
For now, the dispute highlights the widening differences among political camps that may need to cooperate if they hope to present a united challenge to the APC.