By David AFOLABI
As good as the merger of Peter Obi’s Obidience Movement and Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Kwakansiyya seems to look, a fresh revelation has revealed a testy situation leading to the 2027 Nigerian general elections.
The OK followers that have culminated in the NDC presidential flagbearer of Obi and Kwankwaso are beginning to show some leaks in the compromise.
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For one, the Northern Youths Assembly has criticised the former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over his alliance with Obi and the Obidient Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NYM is considered one of the strongest sociopolitical voices in the north of Nigeria, with a sizable number of youths.
The group described the development as a betrayal of the ideals and values upon which the Kwankwasiyya Movement was founded, alleging that the alliance contradicts Kwankwaso’s long-standing commitment to northern political identity and interests.
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In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Hafiz Garba, on Friday, the assembly said Kwankwaso’s decision had raised serious concerns among many northern Nigerians who had supported him on the belief that he represented and defended the region’s political, cultural, and historical heritage.
The group argued that the Kwankwasiyya Movement was built on the promotion of northern development, educational advancement, and economic empowerment, as well as the protection of the region’s dignity and interests within the Nigerian federation.
It claimed that some supporters of the Obidient Movement had made comments perceived as disrespectful to revered northern leaders, including Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio.
“The North deserves clear answers on the implications of this alliance and what it means for the values that Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiyya Movement have represented over the years,” the statement noted.
Similarly, the Obidient Movement, who are quite vocal on social media have been making insinuations on the fact they Obi is not protecting his own.
They believed that Kwankwaso’s ‘boys’ took most of the coveted positions after the party primaries, even though Obi got the presidential ticket.
It is believed that Kwankwaso is only using Obi to gain national spread for himself, which he will use to ad advantage after the 2027 elections when power will shift back to the North.
