Kwankwaso, Makinde meeting.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the party’s national leader, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office/Secretariat in Ibadan, amid growing talk of political consultations ahead of the 2027 general election.
https://ogelenews.ng/kwankwaso-makinde-meeting
The meeting, which was not open to the public and ended without an official joint briefing, immediately fueled questions across Oyo and beyond: what did the two leaders discuss, and what does it mean for 2027?
Kwankwaso, however, told journalists after the engagement that his trip to Ibadan was primarily to inaugurate the NNPP’s new state office as part of efforts to strengthen party structure, deepen internal unity, and establish a clearer presence in Oyo State ahead of 2027.
This report focuses on the verified details of the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting, what each side has publicly said, and why the encounter is attracting attention in the early calculations around 2027.
Who attended the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting
Although the discussions were private, Kwankwaso’s entourage was publicly identifiable. Reports said he was accompanied by top NNPP officials, including the party’s National Chairman, Dr Ajid Ahmed, and the National Publicity Secretary, Najipo Johnson, alongside other members of the party’s national leadership.
The presence of the NNPP’s top echelon, political watchers say, is one reason the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting drew instant speculation, even as the visitors described it as a courtesy call.
“It’s beyond politics,” Kwankwaso says
After the closed-door engagement, Kwankwaso attempted to cool down the political temperature by describing the interaction in personal terms. In separate reports, he said the meeting with Makinde was rooted in friendship and was not limited to partisan matters.
That framing is consistent with another line repeated across reports: the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting was believed to be connected to consolidating longstanding cordial ties between both politicians.
Still, in Nigerian politics, closed-door meetings rarely pass without interpretation, especially when they happen under the shadow of a major election cycle.
The NNPP’s Ibadan office launch and the Oyo strategy
Kwankwaso’s visit coincided with the inauguration of the NNPP’s new office in Ibadan. Reports described the unveiling as a move to establish the party’s footprint in the state capital and strengthen its grassroots structure in Oyo ahead of 2027.
Beyond the ribbon-cutting, the symbolism matters: opening a visible party office in the capital is both a mobilisation tool and a message to rivals that the party intends to compete, recruit, and coordinate more effectively. That is why the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting is being read alongside the office inauguration as part of a broader political calendar.
Why the 2027 angle won’t go away
Even with public insistence that the visit was friendly, multiple reports noted that the timing is significant, with analysts linking it to consultations and potential realignments ahead of 2027.
Two realities make this hard to dismiss:
- Makinde is a major political force in the South-West, running a state with deep party structures and national relevance.
- Kwankwaso remains a national figure with a defined political base, and every movement he makes attracts attention as parties position for coalition talks, influence swaps, and ticket negotiations.
That context is why the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting is not just another courtesy call in the eyes of many Nigerians.
What we know and what we don’t
What we know, based on verifiable reporting:
- The Kwankwaso Makinde meeting took place at the Oyo State Secretariat/Governor’s Office in Ibadan, behind closed doors.
- Kwankwaso said he came to Ibadan mainly to inaugurate the NNPP office and strengthen the party in Oyo ahead of 2027.
- Top NNPP officials accompanied him.
What we don’t know (and should not invent):
- The specific agenda items discussed privately.
- Whether there is any formal agreement, alliance plan, or commitment tied to 2027.
Any conclusions beyond the confirmed facts remain speculation until the actors involved speak clearly or concrete steps follow.
The road ahead
For now, the safest read is this: the Kwankwaso Makinde meeting sits at the intersection of two things happening at once in Nigerian politics. One is ordinary relationship management among political elites. The other is early-stage positioning for 2027, where parties test alliances, measure public mood, and strengthen structures quietly long before campaign season officially opens.
Whether the meeting becomes a footnote or a turning point will depend on what happens next: further consultations, public appearances, party decisions in Oyo, and the direction of national coalition talks as 2027 approaches.
