Kano people not xenophobic: Kwankwaso rejects Modu Sheriff’s dismissal of Obi’s Northern appeal

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has rejected comments by former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, dismissing the electoral prospects of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kwankwaso said he was disappointed by Sheriff’s remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, where the former Borno governor claimed that Northerners would not vote for Obi.

“After a prolonged absence from public discourse, one would have expected that time away might have sharpened Senator Sheriff’s judgment. Regrettably, that does not appear to be the case,” Kwankwaso said.

He faulted Sheriff for presenting himself as the voice of Northern voters, insisting that Obi had already demonstrated considerable acceptance in the region during the 2023 presidential election.

“It is curious that he has appointed himself spokesperson for the Northern masses.

“For the record, in his first outing on the presidential ballot, Mr. Obi secured approximately 2.8 million votes in the region—a remarkable achievement that cannot be dismissed lightly,” he stated.

Kwankwaso also argued that the prevailing economic situation and dissatisfaction with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration had strengthened the prospects of the NDC’s presidential ticket.

“Given the current national hardships, the widespread consensus on the failure of the APC administration, and the addition of a strong Northern figure to the ticket who previously garnered 1.45 million votes in the region, the OK ticket remains a formidable force in Northern politics,” he said.

Responding to Sheriff’s claim that Kano voters would not support Obi, Kwankwaso described the assertion as inaccurate and defended the political disposition of the state’s electorate.

“Let me state clearly: the good people of Kano are neither bigoted nor xenophobic. They have consistently demonstrated strong trust in the Kwankwasiyya movement and will support any credible ticket presented under its banner,” he said.

The former Kano State governor urged Sheriff to concentrate on addressing the security and humanitarian challenges confronting Borno State rather than making what he described as divisive political comments.

“I respectfully advise Senator Sheriff that, in future national television appearances, he would do better to speak to the serious insecurity and humanitarian challenges facing his home state, rather than making divisive and poorly considered remarks,” Kwankwaso stated.

He maintained that the NDC’s “OK ticket” offers “the best opportunity for Nigerians to reset the country and place it on a path of competence, unity, and progress” ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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