Former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola and ex-Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso recently held a closed-door meeting in Lagos, reportedly to strategize ahead of the 2027 general elections.
A source within their political circles described the meeting as a “marathon session” focused on planning for the next election cycle.
The meeting comes on the heels of Aregbesola’s political group, Omoluabi Progressives, exiting the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal divisions, exclusion from party affairs, and unfair disciplinary actions. Shortly after, the APC in Osun expelled Aregbesola, accusing him of anti-party activities.
Aregbesola, who governed Osun State from 2010 to 2018 under the APC and later served as a minister in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, has been at odds with the party leadership in his home state.
As discussions around forming a coalition to challenge the APC in 2027 gain momentum, key opposition figures have been holding strategic meetings. In November 2023, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar hosted Labour Party (LP) chieftain Peter Obi for a breakfast meeting in Adamawa. Similarly, in January 2024, former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai, Hamza Al-Mustapha, and other politicians gathered in Abuja under the convening of Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Shehu Gabam.
Kwankwaso, who ran for president under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in 2023, has also been a central figure in coalition talks. While NNPP Chairman Ajuji Ahmed recently stated that the party is not currently involved in coalition discussions, he did not rule out the possibility in the future.
