Former Kano State Governor and prominent northern political leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has disclosed that his daughter encouraged him to collaborate with Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election.
Kwankwaso made the revelation during a Monday interview on Arise TV, using the personal anecdote to highlight the generational divide in Nigeria’s political landscape and the forward-thinking approach of younger Nigerians.
“Even in the 2023 election, in my own house, my own daughter was telling me to go and work with Peter Obi. She didn’t say she was Obidient, but she wanted me to work together with him,” Kwankwaso stated.
The disclosure comes years after the 2023 polls and shortly after Kwankwaso and Obi formally joined forces under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on May 3, 2026, following their defection from the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Kwankwaso used the story to underscore what he described as a significant gap between Nigeria’s ageing political elite and the younger generation, who he said prioritize competent leadership over ethnic and religious considerations.
“People of their age, my age, or especially the age of Atiku, are very few in this country comparatively with the younger people. The younger people have their own way of thinking,” he noted. “People are talking of religion, people are talking of ethnicity. But the younger people are looking for the right leadership for this country, and I think they are absolutely right.”
He further emphasized the cross-regional appeal of both the Kwankwasiyya movement and Peter Obi’s support base, suggesting it transcends traditional political boundaries.
The comments have sparked discussions on generational shifts in Nigerian politics and the evolving priorities of the youth electorate ahead of future elections.