Former Kano State Governor and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate of the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Monday, July 21, 2025, held a private meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the presidential residence within the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
This meeting was held behind closed doors and was not open to the press. It came on the heels of Kwankwaso’s attendance at the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025, which took place earlier in the day at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The latest meeting between Kwankwaso and President Tinubu marks their second publicly acknowledged engagement within a span of just over two years.
Their last known encounter occurred on June 9, 2023, barely days after Tinubu’s swearing-in as President. During that visit, Kwankwaso became the first opposition presidential candidate to officially visit President Tinubu.
Addressing State House correspondents after that earlier meeting in 2023, Kwankwaso had indicated that their discussions centred on politics and governance. He also hinted at a possibility of working with President Tinubu, though he did not provide specific details regarding the nature or scope of such collaboration.
IREPORT247NEWS had reported that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), under whose platform Kwankwaso contested the 2023 presidential elections, has categorically ruled out any possibility of the former governor contesting again on its ticket.
The National Chairman of NNPP, Dr. Agbo Major, firmly stated that the party’s platform would not be available for Kwankwaso’s political ambitions, including a possible 2027 presidential bid.
Dr. Major emphasized, “We encourage Senator Kwankwaso to establish his own political party if he wishes to remain politically active. The NNPP has moved forward and will not entertain any further distractions or political drama.”
READ MORE – NNPP Slams Door on Kwankwaso’s 2027 Ambition
In a separate development also reported by IREPORT247NEWS, the NNPP, through its National Secretary, Mr. Oginni Olaposi, expressed that the party would not be troubled by Kwankwaso’s exit. In fact, Olaposi noted that his possible defection to the APC would bring significant relief to many members within the NNPP.
This statement from the NNPP leadership was issued in reaction to speculations linking Kwankwaso to the APC following the recent resignation of the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
Ganduje stepped down from his position citing health-related concerns. However, swirling political rumours suggest that his resignation might be part of a broader political recalibration within the APC, allegedly aimed at paving the way for Kwankwaso’s integration into the ruling party ahead of 2027.
READ MORE– NNPP Cheers Possible Kwankwaso Defection to APC
The convergence of these events—Kwankwaso’s meeting with President Tinubu, Ganduje’s resignation, and the NNPP’s disavowal—has further heightened political intrigue as stakeholders keenly watch the realignments shaping Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the next general elections.