A former United States mayor, Mike Arnold, has strongly criticised any potential political alliance between former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, describing the idea as a “national disaster.”
Arnold, in a lengthy statement posted on X on Monday night, May 25, 2026, said he would oppose any Obi-Kwankwaso joint ticket ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
“No, I am not ok with Obi-Kwankwaso — and you shouldn’t be, either,” he wrote. “I like Peter Obi. I am not sold on him yet, but he has potential, and I have an open mind.”
He added, “What will close my mind instantly, without any wiggle room, is an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.”
According to him, Nigeria does not need what he described as recycled political leadership under a new arrangement. “Nigeria does not need more of the same. It does not need different gasoline running through the same engine,” Arnold stated.
Arnold also directed criticism at Kwankwaso, alleging political and ideological concerns.
“Why am I against Kwankwaso? Simple. He is the Sultan’s man,” he said. “A sniveling bootlicker to Sokoto in a five-decade career arc that has changed parties five times — but never once strayed from fealty to the throne.”
He further made controversial claims about past national security and governance issues, saying, “When the future Sultan was — as a senior officer of an OIC nation — operating in the shadows during the war on terror… there are only two other people in the Nigerian government who knew what he was up to. The President. And Kwankwaso.”
Arnold also referenced historical aviation tragedies, stating, “Incidentally, when the future Sultan returned from this post in 2006… the top ten reform-minded generals of the Nigerian Army died in a plane crash.”
He added, “A few weeks later, the sitting Sultan, his son… and several grandchildren were killed in another plane crash. The Abuja airport radar was turned off when their plane went down.”
On leadership succession in the Sokoto Caliphate, he said, “The Sultanate Council reached past all of them… and not long after that, all those terrorist groups… started showing up in Nigeria.”
Arnold also criticised Kwankwaso’s time as Kano governor, saying, “As Governor of Kano State, Kwankwaso formally declared Sharia law on June 21, 2000, and established the Hisbah Board.”
He further alleged financial misconduct, stating, “When he returned as Kano Governor… he left behind allegations that he misappropriated roughly N10 billion in pension contributions from Kano state workers.”
Arnold concluded by warning against any joint ticket involving Kwankwaso.
“Sharia. Hisbah. Pension funds. Pharmaceutical contracts. The defence ministry during a genocide. A different party every cycle. And now the vice presidency,” he said.
“That is why I will actively oppose any ticket with Kwankwaso on it. No matter who is on top.”
