By Sandra Kenneth
Ahead of their scheduled town-hall meetings in Sokoto State, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, alongside his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Monday.
The visit served as a platform for the political leaders to press for urgent national unity, enhanced security measures, poverty alleviation, and job creation across the nation.
During the meeting, the delegation also extended their formal condolences to the royal father over the recent passing of the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Reflecting on the engagement via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Obi revealed that the discussions centered on critical national issues and rebuilding public trust in governance.
“Ahead of our town-hall engagements in Sokoto State, I had the privilege of paying a courtesy visit to His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, alongside my brother and running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and members of our team,” Obi stated.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the monarch recalled a long-standing personal relationship with him spanning nearly 46 years, dating back to 1980 when Obi was a first-year student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Addressing the delegation, the Sultan underscored that leadership is a sacred trust for which leaders will be held accountable. He identified security, poverty, and unemployment as the three primary challenges facing the country, urging political leaders to view Nigeria’s ethnic and cultural diversity as a core strength rather than a point of division.
The joint ticket marks a notable shift in Nigeria’s political landscape following the 2023 general election, where Obi and Kwankwaso ran separate campaigns under the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), respectively.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) finalizing candidate lists for the January 16, 2027 presidential election, the NDC joint ticket sets the stage for a competitive contest against President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).
