Former Kano State Governor and the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has revealed that even within his own home, there was pressure to form an alliance with Peter Obi.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, Kwankwaso noted that many veteran political leaders are out of touch with the mindset of the younger generation.
He suggested that while older politicians are often bogged down by ethnic and religious sentiments, young Nigerians—including his own children—are focused on competence.
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“So many things have changed in this country. You have leaders, many of whom don’t even realize what is happening on social media. We have leaders who hardly have any contact with young men and women,” Kwankwaso said.
He highlighted the massive demographic shift in Nigeria, noting that leaders of his generation and that of Atiku Abubakar are in the minority compared to the youth.
“The younger people have their own way of thinking, even our children,” he added.
To illustrate this shift, he shared a personal story from the heat of the 2023 campaign.
“You will be surprised, even during 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 obedient, but she wanted me to work together with him, and vice versa.”
Kwankwaso argued that the younger generation is right to ignore the traditional “politics of identity” in favor of credible leadership.
“People are talking about religion. People are talking about ethnicity. People are talking, especially those at our level and age, but the younger people are looking for the right leadership for this country. And I think they are absolutely right,” he concluded.
