The South-East chapter of the Kwankwaso National Network (KNN) has declared its commitment to mobilising at least five million votes for a proposed Peter Obi–Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group made the announcement on Thursday during a press briefing in Umuahia, Abia State, where it also dismissed claims that South-East governors had endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term, insisting that only the people of the region have the power to decide who they will support at the polls.
Speaking to journalists, the South-East Zonal Coordinator of KNN, Dr. Ukpai Iro Ukpai, said the organisation had already begun grassroots mobilisation aimed at securing one million votes from each of the five South-East states, adding that the group was working with strategic partners to achieve its target.
“Working with our strategic partners, the KNN is fully committed to delivering at least five million votes for the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket from the South-East in 2027. Our goal is to mobilise at least one million votes from each of the five South-East states,” he said.
Ukpai, who presented a statement jointly signed by the group’s South-East Zonal Secretary, Hon. Karl Ifeanyichukwu Obinta, said the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which recorded 830,774 new voters across the South-East, had strengthened the group’s confidence in the region’s electoral influence.
KNN also praised Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for reportedly accepting a joint presidential ticket with Peter Obi, describing the move as a sacrifice made in the interest of national unity. According to the group, the proposed alliance would bring together two major political movements and offer Nigerians a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
The organisation described the proposed Obi–Kwankwaso partnership as a “National Healing Ticket,” saying it is designed to promote unity and national cohesion beyond ethnic and religious divisions.
On the issue of election credibility, KNN said it was determined to ensure that every legitimate vote cast in the South-East is protected during the next general election.
“We have put in place robust mechanisms to safeguard the votes of the people in the South-East. The technical glitches witnessed during the 2023 elections must not recur in 2027. Votes must count,” the group stated.
The organisation also rejected recent comments attributed to Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, which suggested that South-East governors had agreed to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
According to KNN, elected governors cannot decide the political direction of the region without the consent of the people.
“Governors cannot unilaterally determine the political choice of the South-East. The people—not elected officials—will decide their preferred candidates at the polls,” the statement added.
While acknowledging the establishment of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), the group argued that similar development commissions had also been created for other geopolitical zones and should not be viewed as a special political advantage.
KNN also called for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and criticised the APC-led Federal Government over the country’s economic and security situation, claiming that worsening hardship and insecurity could shape voting decisions in 2027.
The group expressed confidence that an Obi–Kwankwaso administration, if elected, would provide the leadership needed to tackle Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges.
Source: KNN press briefing in Umuahia.
