Seyi-Makinde-and-Rabiu-Kwankwaso-.webp
The Digest:

Rabiu Kwankwaso, national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has described his closed-door meeting with Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde as a courtesy visit rooted in personal friendship, not political alliance-building. Speaking after the two-hour session at Makinde's office in Ibadan on Wednesday, Kwankwaso said: "This visit is more about personal friendship than party politics. Governor Makinde and I have known each other for a long time. Before proceeding to our party engagement in the state, I felt it was proper to pay him a courtesy call." No details of their conversation were disclosed. The meeting sparked political interest following the recent defection of Kwankwaso's protege, Kano Governor Abba Yusuf, from NNPP to APC. Kwankwaso was in Oyo to inaugurate the NNPP's new office and discuss internal party matters with national officials.

Key Points:
  • Kwankwaso's downplaying of politics aims to manage speculation about 2027 alliances.
  • The meeting inevitably fuels talk of cross-party realignment despite denials.
  • Both leaders gain attention, while opposition watchers read between lines.
  • This signals the sensitivity of political meetings ahead of elections.
  • The timing, after Kano defection, adds weight to every engagement.
Kwankwaso says Ibadan meeting with Makinde was personal, not political, despite speculation after NNPP's Kano loss to APC.

Sources: The Cable, NNPP