‘We Need To Forgive Ourselves’ -Kwankwaso Calls For North, South-East Unity

The 2027 vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has called for renewed political cooperation between Northern Nigeria and the South-East, saying the two regions share a long history of political partnership that should be strengthened.

Kwankwaso made the call during an interview with BBC Igbo published on the broadcaster’s Facebook page on Wednesday.

He urged Nigerians to embrace forgiveness and national unity, arguing that reconciliation remains essential to the country’s progress.

“We have to forgive ourselves. We have to work together as a family. South-East has been our ally, our friends, over the years,” he said.

The former Kano State governor recalled that the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) formed an alliance with the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, during the First Republic.

He added that the same spirit of cooperation continued in the Second Republic when President Shehu Shagari and leaders of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) worked closely with politicians from the South-East.

“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 northern political party, had an alliance with the NCNC, headed by Nnamdi Azikiwe.

“Even the Second Republic, you could see our leaders, Shagari and co, of course, went coincidentally to the Southeast 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,” he said.

Kwankwaso described the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme as a friend of the North and recalled attending 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 added.

He also referenced the return of the late Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, from exile, saying Northern political leaders at the time demonstrated reconciliation by supporting his return to Nigeria and participation in democratic politics.

“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.

“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,” he said.

Kwankwaso maintained that rebuilding political ties with the South-East should not be seen as opposition to any other region.

“We are so happy that we in the North have decided to go back to history to work with the Southeast. 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,” he said.

His comments come as political parties intensify consultations and alliances ahead of the 2027 general election, in which Kwankwaso is the NDC vice-presidential candidate alongside the party’s presidential candidate, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.

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