Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for stronger ties between Nigeria’s northern and south-east regions, saying both zones have a long history of political cooperation that should be rebuilt ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Igbo, published on Wednesday, the former Kano State governor said Nigeria’s leaders demonstrated the importance of reconciliation and inclusion after the civil war by bringing the south-east back into mainstream politics.
“We have to forgive ourselves. We have to work together as a family. South-east has been our ally, our friends, over the years,” Kwankwaso said.
He recalled that during the First Republic, the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) formed an alliance with the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, describing it as evidence of political foresight.
Kwankwaso also highlighted the Second Republic, noting that President Shehu Shagari and the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) worked closely with political leaders from the south-east after the civil war.
He said that despite the conflict ending in 1970, leaders who restored democracy in 1979 chose reconciliation over division, leading to the emergence of Alex Ekwueme as Nigeria’s vice-president.
Reflecting on Ekwueme’s legacy, Kwankwaso described the late statesman as a friend of the north and recalled attending his burial in Oko, Anambra State.
The former governor also cited the return of former Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu from exile, noting that he was welcomed back into national politics and contested for a Senate seat despite leading the secessionist movement during the civil war.
Kwankwaso said the decision by political leaders to embrace forgiveness helped preserve national unity and should remain a guiding principle for Nigeria.
He stressed that renewed cooperation with the south-east should not be interpreted as hostility towards any other region, insisting that all parts of the country remain partners in nation-building.
According to him, no political group can successfully govern Nigeria by relying solely on regional, ethnic or religious interests.
Kwankwaso, who is from Kano State, is the running mate to Peter Obi of Anambra State on the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket for the 2027 presidential election.
