President Bola Tinubu has met a prominent ally of the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Hon. Abdumumini Jibrin, at the Presidential Villa.
The meeting held at the heels of speculations that the NNPP candidate in the 2023 Presidential election was considering movement into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside his supporters across the country.
Jibrin, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency who has maintained rosey political relation with the President and Keankwaso told newsmen after the meeting that they both discussed national issues.
Refusing to be categorical on plans to defect to the ruling party ahead of 2027, Jibrin told State House Correspondents that “I do not think it is time for that conversation. But everything is open, and everything is a possibility. The most important thing is stability of the country, is unity of the country, and I believe that when we get to the bridge, we’ll cross it.”
The meeting has signalled a possible realignment in the nation’s political space considering the fact that Keankwaso recently criticized the President for neglecting the development in the North.
Asked whether his presence at the Villa has any connection to efforts to douse political tensions between Tinubu and Kwankwaso, Jibrin said “The President is a first-class politician. Of course, the national leader of the NNPP is also a thoroughbred politician, and I believe that both of them are committed to the peace, unity and prosperity of Nigeria. So irrespective of the comments that were made, I do not think that it should be a source of concern that I’m seen in the Villa during this period”, he said.
On his opinion of the President’s performance in the North in the last two years, Jibrin said “Well, every leader does his best, and it depends on how you want to rate him. You can decide to see the cup half full, or you look at the cup half empty. But I also believe that everyone is entitled to his opinion, and it can always just contribute to deepening the discourse—sometimes it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.”
Jibrin’s visit, analysts reason, may have signalled a possible political alignment between the ruling party and the opposition NNPP ahead of 2027 general elections.
