Former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, met privately with President Bola Tinubu on Monday at the president’s official residence. This meeting took place after Kwankwaso attended the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025 at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
It marked the second known meeting between the two in just over two years, with their previous encounter occurring on June 9, 2023, shortly after Tinubu’s inauguration, making Kwankwaso the first presidential candidate to visit him.
Kwankwaso later informed State House reporters that he had discussed political issues and governance with the president and expressed the possibility of collaboration, though he did not provide specifics. Despite being closed to the press, this meeting comes on the heels of the opposition African Democratic Congress forming a coalition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in the upcoming 2027 elections.
At 67, Kwankwaso is an experienced political figure in northern Nigeria and founded the “Kwankwasiyya” movement. He served two non-consecutive terms as governor of Kano (1999-2003 and 2011-2015), was defense minister under President Olusegun Obasanjo, and ran for president in 2023 with the New Nigeria Peoples Party, finishing fourth while achieving a significant victory in Kano State.
Although the NNPP is not officially part of the ADC-led coalition, opposition leaders are attempting to win Kwankwaso’s support to unite various parties for the 2027 presidential election. Sources from the presidency were unable to provide any insights into the specifics of the discussions held during the meeting, which took place in a private residence and was largely inaccessible to many aides.
