South-East Not Enemy Of North, We Must Rebuild Alliance, Says Kwankwaso
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 presidential election, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has called for stronger political and social cooperation between northern Nigeria and the South-East, insisting that both regions share a long history of partnership and should not regard each other as adversaries.
Speaking in an interview published by BBC Igbo on Wednesday, the former Kano State governor said the lessons of Nigeria's post-civil war reconciliation should continue to guide the country's politics, stressing that forgiveness and inclusion remain essential to national unity.
"We have to forgive ourselves. We have to work together as a family. South-east has been our ally, our friends, over the years," Kwankwaso said.
He argued that Nigeria's political history offers clear examples of collaboration between northern and South-East leaders, citing the alliance between the Northern People's Congress (NPC) and the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) during the First Republic under the leadership of Nnamdi Azikiwe.
"During our own time, or the time of our fathers, grandfathers in politics — in the first republic — you could see the NPC then, which is mainly a northern political party, had an alliance with the NCNC, headed by Nnamdi Azikiwe," the former defence minister said.
Kwankwaso also pointed to the Second Republic, noting that leaders of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), including former President Shehu Shagari, maintained close political ties with prominent figures from the South-East.
"Even in the second republic, you could see our leaders, Shagari and co, of course, went coincidentally to the south-east and even Anambra state, even Azikiwe himself from Anambra state, and so on and so forth. So our leaders had foresight.
"The civil war was finished in 1970. In 1978 and 1979, when democracy came back, the first thing they said was, 'Look, they are not our enemies. Let's prove to them. Let's bring them. Let's work together.'
"Our leaders of the first republic worked together with them, and that's how they brought Alex Ekwueme to be the vice president."
Recalling his relationship with the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Kwankwaso described him as a trusted ally of the North and said he attended his burial in Oko, Anambra State.
"I went to Oko, the hometown. I was there during Alex Ekwueme's burial. Throughout his life, he was our friend. It's only that democracy was truncated," he said.
The NDC vice-presidential candidate further referenced the return of former Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu from exile, describing it as another example of post-war reconciliation.
"The NPN, a mainly northern party, had to invite Ojukwu to come back. He came back, contested for a senate seat and lost. But despite the fact that he was the leader of Biafra at that particular time, our leaders decided to forgive themselves and forge ahead," Kwankwaso said.
Calling for an end to divisive politics, he maintained that no region or religious group could successfully govern Nigeria in isolation.
"We cannot be in the same country and start fighting. We have to have the spirit of forgiveness, whoever offended the other. It depends on who is giving the story.
"We are so happy that we in the north have decided to go back to history to work with the south-east. That's not to say we are fighting the south-west or any zone in this country. No, we are all friends.
"You can't play politics in this country alone—politics of Muslims, or Christians, or north, or south — not at this level."