The National Secretary of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ogini Olaposi, has ruled out the possibility of the party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, contesting on the NNPP platform in the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos, Olaposi said the party’s presidential ticket for 2027 would be strictly reserved for bona fide members, stressing that Kwankwaso no longer meets that requirement following unresolved disputes between the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
He explained that the alliance between the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement, formalised through a Memorandum of Association in 2022, automatically lapsed after the 2023 elections.
According to him, post-election anti-party activities by elements within the Kwankwasiyya Movement led to the expulsion of several prominent figures, including Kwankwaso and Elder Buba Galadima.
Olaposi noted that the expulsions remain valid and have not been reversed, insisting that the NNPP would not repeat what he described as the “sole-candidacy arrangement” of 2023.
“The NNPP ticket for 2027 is open to all qualified party members. Unlike in 2023, it is not reserved for any individual,” he said, adding that the party already has presidential hopefuls, including two aspirants from the NNPP diaspora.
He also disclosed that the party is open to strategic partnerships ahead of the 2027 polls, provided such engagements align with its ideology.
However, he emphasised that any alliance must be negotiated through the party’s National Working Committee, which he said has judicial backing.
Reacting to recent comments credited to Kwankwaso about defecting to another party only if offered a presidential ticket, Olaposi dismissed the claim as unrealistic.
He argued that Kwankwaso no longer commands the level of political influence being attributed to him, particularly in Kano State.
According to Olaposi, the NNPP believes President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) would base their 2027 campaign on governance performance rather than personality-driven politics.
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“Kwankwaso’s political weight in Kano is exaggerated. Many key members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement have already moved to the APC,” he said.
He further stated that Kwankwaso and his supporters lack the mandate to negotiate or speak on behalf of the NNPP, reiterating that all decisions concerning alliances and nominations rest solely with the party’s recognised leadership.
The development comes amid growing speculation over opposition realignments ahead of 2027, including reports that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is courting influential political figures across party lines.
Kwankwaso had, at a recent gathering in Kano, expressed openness to joining any opposition coalition willing to offer him either a presidential or vice-presidential ticket, a position that continues to generate debate within Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.