The flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2023 presidential poll, Atiku Abubakar, has paid a “fraternal visit” to his counterpart in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso.
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Kwankwaso, who made this known on his verified handle on X, formerly known as Twitter, said he received Atiku at his Abuja residence on Tuesday evening.
I was pleased to receive my brother, the former Vice President, His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, at my residence this evening.
I thank Waziri for this fraternal visit. – RMK pic.twitter.com/Vmfw6eNExK
— Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (@KwankwasoRM) August 15, 2023
The meeting between Kwankwaso, an ex-governor of Kano State; and Atiku, a former Vice President; occurred amid the presidential tribunal sitting in Abuja.
Atiku and his counterpart in the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; are currently challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this year’s poll.
The visit between the two northern political powerbrokers also came days after the Senate confirmed Tinubu’s 45 ministerial nominees, now minister designates.
Many had thought that Kwankwaso would make Tinubu’s ministerial list like ex-governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who is also a member of another opposition party, the PDP, and Atiku’s political rival.
However, whilst Wike was included in the list, Kwankwaso’s name was not on the list, sparking controversy on the relationship between Tinubu and the NNPP chieftain.
Kwankwaso had visited the President a few times at the Villa since his assumption of office on May 29, 2023 but a rift between the NNPP stalwart; and now APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, could have affected Kwankwaso’s relationship with Tinubu.
Interestingly, Ganduje was Kwankwaso’s deputy when the latter was governor from 2011 May to May 2015 before they fell apart after the 2015 elections which saw the emergence of Ganduje as governor till May 2023. Before then, Kwankwaso was also Kano’s governor from 1999 to 2003.
In the March 18, 2023 governorship poll, Kwankwaso’s man, Yusuf Kabir, trounced Ganduje’s Nasir Gawuna to emerge the new governor of Kano.
In the February 25 presidential poll, Kwankwaso finished fourth, claiming victory in his state — Kano. He secured 1,496,687 votes.
Atiku, who has now run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while Obi scored 6,101,533.
Tinubu, who was declared the winner of poll, scored 8,794,726 out of the 24,025,940 total votes cast.
