Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has strongly rejected the idea of a North-North ticket for the 2027 presidential election, stressing that such an arrangement would be detrimental to Nigeria’s unity and democracy.

This stance was made known by his spokesperson, Habibu Saleh, during an exclusive interview with Daily Post on Monday.

Kwankwaso’s spokesperson clarified that despite speculations about a potential alliance between the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and Kwankwaso, a ticket solely composed of Northern candidates is not feasible.

“I don’t think that is realistic. We must be sensitive enough to present a ticket that reflects balance between North and South,” he said.

Saleh emphasized that this approach would only divide the country, stating, “the same-region or same-religion ticket will only divide the country and hurt democracy. What Nigerians want is fairness and inclusiveness.”

Saleh also took issue with recent claims by Atiku that Kwankwaso’s influence is limited to Kano state, labeling it an understatement. “It is a serious understatement for anybody to say that the relevance of my principal is only in Kano. The figures from the last election clearly show otherwise,” Saleh asserted.

He went on to explain that Kwankwaso’s reach extended well beyond Kano, pointing to his impressive electoral performance in the 2023 presidential race. “Kwankwaso got about 906,000 votes from Kano, but he also got about 500,000 votes from other parts of the country.

Remember, he contested on a relatively unknown political platform, without the backing of any incumbent governor, House of Representatives member, or even a councillor,” Saleh said.

Saleh highlighted that despite these challenges, Kwankwaso garnered significant votes, demonstrating the broad appeal of his political message

The All Progressives Congress has rescheduled its presidential primary election, shifting the exercise from its earlier dates of May 15 and 16 to May 23, 2026.

According to Ireporter Online, the adjustment was disclosed on Thursday in Abuja by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, following a meeting of the National Working Committee. He stated that while the presidential primary will now be held on May 23, the governorship primary has been fixed for May 21, 2026. Life news section

He explained that the party reviewed its initial timetable and introduced several modifications, including revisions to the screening process for aspirants and the mechanism for handling appeals. The screening exercise, earlier slated for the beginning of May, has been rescheduled but will still encompass all categories of contestants, including those vying for state and federal legislative seats, governorship positions, and the presidency.

Under the revised schedule, the sale of nomination forms will commence on April 25 and close on May 2, 2026, while the submission deadline for completed forms is set for May 4. Screening of aspirants is expected to follow shortly after, with results to be released on May 11. Appeals arising from the screening process will be entertained between May 12 and May 13.

The party also outlined dates for other primary elections, with the House of Representatives primaries slated for May 15, Senate primaries on May 18, and State House of Assembly primaries on May 20. The governorship primaries will take place on May 21, culminating in the presidential primary on May 23. Appeals from the various primaries will be handled in phases, concluding with those relating to the presidential contest on May 25

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved its judgment regarding the ongoing leadership disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

This decision adds to the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming 2027 general elections. During the recent proceedings, the court heard arguments from all parties involved in the appeals and cross-appeals.

Following these discussions, the court announced that it would deliver its judgment at a later date, though no specific timeline has been provided. This situation has heightened tensions, particularly for parties grappling with internal divisions.

For the PDP, the crisis has already led to major changes. Earlier rulings had nullified the Ibadan convention that produced Kabiru Turaki as national chairman. The court also upheld the suspension of some top officials.

As it stands, the faction backed by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, remains in charge. This group is the one currently recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

While the PDP appears to have found some stability, the situation is more troubling for the ADC. The party is deeply divided into three factions. These groups are led by David Mark, Nafiu Bala Gombe, and Ogga Temitope. None of these factions has been officially recognised by INEC.

This lack of recognition puts the ADC in a difficult position. INEC has set May 10 as the deadline for all registered political parties to submit their membership registers. Only parties that meet this requirement will be cleared to field candidates in the 2027 elections.

With the Supreme Court yet to fix a date for judgment, time is running out. If the ruling does not come before the deadline, the ADC risks missing out entirely. This would mean the party may not appear on the ballot in 2027.