|By Chinwendu Nwani
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has declared the 2027 presidential ambition of former Kano State Governor and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as “effectively dead,” citing political isolation, party zoning dynamics and the weakening structure of the NNPP.
Keyamo made the assertion on Sunday in a statement published on his official X handle, where he argued that Kwankwaso’s failure to align early with a major political party has left him stranded as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.
According to the minister, Kwankwaso rejected what he described as an “olive branch” previously extended by the All Progressives Congress (APC), a decision he said has now boxed the former governor into a political corner.
“Kwankwaso boxed himself into a corner by rejecting opportunities when they mattered,” Keyamo said, adding that the political landscape has since shifted, with no major party willing to accommodate his presidential ambition.
He further argued that the NNPP lacks the national reach required to win a presidential election, insisting that the party’s influence is largely confined to Kano State and is already waning due to defections.
“NNPP is a one-state party, and even that state is slipping,” the minister stated. “Once Kano goes, the illusion of national relevance disappears.”
Keyamo also dismissed speculation about a possible North–North alliance ahead of 2027, insisting that Kwankwaso would not support another Northern presidential candidate, as doing so would effectively terminate his own ambition.
“He cannot back a Northern candidate and then wait another 16 years for power to rotate,” he said, noting that this calculation has ruled out any cooperation with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The minister added that Kwankwaso’s remaining political options—returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), joining the APC or aligning with the Labour Party—would all require him to drop his 2027 presidential bid.
“No party will mortgage its structure for him at this stage,” Keyamo said. “The era where Kwankwaso dictated terms is over.”
While acknowledging that 2031 could still present a possible opening, Keyamo warned that even that prospect hinges on Kwankwaso retaining political control of Kano State in 2027.
“If he loses Kano, he loses everything,” he said. “That would reduce him to a regional footnote in national politics.”
Describing his remarks as a caution rather than political comfort, the minister concluded that Kwankwaso’s next political move could determine whether he remains relevant on the national stage or exits active politics altogether.
