The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has declared that its 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, no longer has access to its platform to contest the 2027 presidential election against President Bola Tinubu or any other aspirant.
The party’s National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, made the clarification in a statement issued on Saturday in response to remarks by Elder Buba Galadima, who claimed that Kwankwaso would remain in the NNPP and run for president under its banner in the next general elections.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Major dismissed Galadima’s claims and stressed that both he and Kwankwaso had long been expelled from the party for anti-party activities.
“The NNPP had long expelled Kwankwaso and Galadima, and so they no longer speak for us, nor can they use our platform for any political contest,” Major said.
He stated that the party’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Kwankwasiya Movement, led by Kwankwaso, ended shortly after the 2023 election. He also accused Kwankwaso of causing internal crises and attempting to hijack the party by changing its logo to that of the Kwankwasiya group.
“Kwankwaso led us into unnecessary litigations and even changed our party logo to the Kwankwasiya logo, all in an attempt to hijack the leadership of the party,” he said. “It was the Court’s interventions that led to INEC changing back to our logo that they submitted after a kangaroo convention in Abuja.”
He added that Kwankwaso’s expectations of another automatic ticket for 2027 are misplaced.
“Kwankwaso must be counting on another free ticket like he got for the 2023 presidential election, but it would not happen again,” Major said. “Certainly, Kwankwaso can never join any political party where he will not have the chance of leadership.”
Major further argued that Kwankwaso lacks the political pedigree to challenge President Tinubu.
“He does not have the pedigree to match President Tinubu in any contest, and so his ambition is dead on arrival,” he said.
While acknowledging Kwankwaso’s constitutional right to contest any election, Major emphasized that the NNPP should not be dragged into his political battles.
“It is his right as a Nigerian to seek to contest for any office, but he should do so without getting the party involved in any of his antagonisms against the president.”
He noted that the party is currently engaging with prospective aspirants and will decide on its 2027 presidential candidate through a transparent and constitutional process.
“Whoever will emerge as the NNPP 2027 presidential candidate will do so, following due process and constitutionality,” he said. “We will no longer hand over our ticket on a platter of gold, and definitely not to someone who betrayed our trust and is no longer in the party.”
He urged Nigerians to disregard statements by Kwankwaso or his allies claiming to represent the NNPP, especially in criticism of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the presidency.
“The NNPP as a party believes in constructive criticisms of issues and not against personalities or other political parties,” he said. “We advise Kwankwaso to float his own party and use it for his own agenda. NNPP has moved on and can’t be dragged into unnecessary controversies again.”
