2007: I’m not bothered about ‘spare tyre’ tag for vice-presidents – Kwankwaso

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Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

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Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he is not bothered about the treatment of vice-presidents as ‘spare tyres’ by their principals.

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Kwankwaso, who spoke at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series on Sunday in Abuja, said he had explicit confidence in the NDC presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi and that he would keep to the understanding between them.

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According to him, the role of a vice-president depends on the kind of principal he or she works with.

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He said he was confident that the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso administration would operate on the principles of cooperation and effective delegation of responsibilities.

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The former Kano State governor said his previous experience as a deputy speaker, minister and governor had prepared him for working within a leadership structure.

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“A president who trusts his vice-president and gives him meaningful responsibilities can achieve more for the country.

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“And for me, I don’t think I will be sidelined by His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi, if we win the 2027 election,” he said.

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Kwankwaso recalled that as governor of Kano State, he deliberately gave his deputy substantial responsibilities because this allowed both him and his deputy to contribute more effectively to the state’s governance.

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He said he adopted a similar approach while serving as Minister of Defence, allowing his Minister of State to take responsibility for specific areas of the ministry.

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The former governor said political leaders should not allow greed or the desire to control everything to undermine effective governance.

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He argued that a president or governor could achieve more by delegating responsibilities rather than attempting to control every aspect of governance personally.

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Kwankwaso expressed confidence in Obi, describing him as not driven by greed but as someone who wants to leave a legacy of good governance.

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He said he would be satisfied with whatever responsibilities were assigned to him as vice-president, stressing that his priority was to serve Nigerians and not for personal aggrandisement.

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Kwankwaso said the success of an NDC administration would ultimately depend on teamwork, mutual trust and the willingness of its leaders to put national interest above personal ambition.

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