Vice Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has warned that the performance of state governors, rather than the number of states controlled by a political party, could significantly influence the outcome of the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso made the remarks at the NDC Town Hall Meeting in Rivers State on Thursday, where he argued that some governors, particularly in Northern Nigeria, may find it difficult to campaign for their parties because of what he described as poor performance in office.
The former Kano State Governor said political parties should not assume that controlling a large number of states automatically guarantees victory at the presidential polls.
According to him, previous elections have demonstrated that incumbent governments can be defeated despite controlling several states.
Kwankwaso also questioned how governments have utilised the increased revenues accruing to states and the Federal Government, arguing that Nigerians have yet to see sufficient improvements in their living conditions.
He recalled that when he served as governor in 1999, states and local governments received significantly less revenue than they do today, yet he questioned the visible impact of current revenues on citizens.
He further linked the alleged poor performance of governments to growing public anger, identifying insecurity, particularly in Northern Nigeria, as one of the major issues fuelling dissatisfaction among citizens.
Kwankwaso therefore urged political actors not to rely solely on their numerical strength across the states, warning that voters could ultimately judge parties and their candidates based on their performance and the condition of the country.
