President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, held a closed-door meeting on Monday at the President’s official residence in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The discreet engagement came shortly after Kwankwaso attended the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025, held at the State House Conference Centre.
This marks the second known private engagement between Tinubu and Kwankwaso since the President assumed office in May 2023. Their last meeting was on June 9, 2023, less than two weeks after Tinubu’s inauguration, during which Kwankwaso became the first opposition presidential candidate to pay him a visit.
Following that 2023 meeting, Kwankwaso briefly spoke to State House correspondents, revealing that he had discussions on politics and national governance with the President. He hinted at a possible collaboration but refrained from sharing concrete details.
Unlike the previous visit, Monday’s meeting was held strictly behind closed doors and was not open to press coverage. Sources within the Presidency, when contacted, were unable to disclose the purpose or outcome of the private conversation. One insider simply noted that the talks took place at the President’s residence, restricting access even to senior aides.
The timing of the visit has stirred speculation, coming on the heels of a proposed mega opposition coalition spearheaded by the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The coalition seeks to challenge the dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Although Kwankwaso’s party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is not officially aligned with the ADC coalition, many opposition leaders view him as a key northern political influencer whose support could prove pivotal in the next presidential race.
A seasoned politician and founder of the influential Kwankwasiyya movement, Kwankwaso has held significant roles in Nigerian politics. He served as Kano State Governor from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2015, and was Defence Minister under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In the 2023 presidential elections, he contested under the NNPP banner and placed fourth nationally, while delivering a decisive victory in Kano State.
His party also secured the governorship seat and a majority in the state House of Assembly, solidifying his grip on Nigeria’s most populous northern state.
While no official statement has been issued regarding the meeting’s agenda, analysts believe the closed-door discussion may have significant implications for both governance and political alignments ahead of 2027.
