Tinubu-Kwankwaso VP Speculation Sparks High-Stakes Debate Within NNPP

A key figure in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ladipo Johnson, defended the notion that President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) may offer Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso the vice-presidential slot for the 2027 election. Speaking on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief” on Monday, June 29, 2025, Johnson stressed that such an offer is far from insulting. Whether Kwankwaso accepts remains an internal decision.

Johnson, a confidant of Kwankwaso since 2013, revealed that emissaries from the APC have already approached him, urging that Kwankwaso should embrace any offer put forward . He emphasized that the NNPP is open to political conversations, stating, “after the 2023 elections, we said we were open to discussions with anyone who wants to move forward”.

Political observers note that APC Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje publicly welcomed Kwankwaso’s potential return—suggesting that high-profile alliances could be in play. Ganduje claimed the APC door remains open, likening Kwankwaso’s possible move back to a big brother offering shelter.

Despite the overtures, internal caution shapes NNPP’s stance. Members like Senators Hashimu Dungurawa and El-Jibril Doguwa have warned against framing Kwankwaso as a potential Tinubu running mate, emphasizing that such moves risk destabilizing NNPP unity.

Johnson also reminded that NNPP is considering three key political paths for 2027—staying independent, aligning with APC, or forming an alliance with ex-PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar—pending after-midterm decision-making around May 2027.

The broader context shows NNPP’s recent distancing from Kwankwaso’s more aggressive rhetoric. In May 2025, the party formally apologized to Tinubu and APC, disowning Kwankwaso’s comments and expelling him, according to national secretary Oginni Olaposi.

Kwankwaso’s political journey—former two‑time Kano governor, Defence Minister (2003–07), and later Senator—has solidified his hold on northern voters, especially in Kano, where he won about 997,000 votes in the 2023 presidential race. His Kwankwassiya movement remains a potent force in northern and north‑western Nigeria.

As discourse around 2027 structures intensifies, Johnson reiterated that any overture must reflect team consensus. “When it comes to the party, it is a team game,” he noted. The next moves by Tinubu, Kwankwaso, and the NNPP could realign Nigeria’s political landscape—and shape the balance of power for years to come.