NNPP Will Not Repeat Kwankwaso’s Mistake, Ready for Alliances, Says Founder

Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has declared that the party will not repeat the error it made with its 2023 presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday, Aniebonam said the NNPP’s eventual presidential candidate will not be handed an automatic ticket but will undergo thorough screening to assess competitiveness and loyalty to the party.

He noted that the NNPP has already uploaded a placeholder presidential candidate on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, in line with electoral guidelines, while three serious aspirants are being considered to replace the placeholder after screening.

“We had long-drawn litigations trying to stop Kwankwaso from hijacking the NNPP. INEC worsened the situation with its delays in complying with court orders. Internal wranglings caused by Kwankwaso and his Kwankwassiya group also led to defections,” Aniebonam said.

Despite these challenges, he stressed that the NNPP remains undeterred and confident its aspirants will make their mark across states and positions.

Aniebonam revealed that the party’s emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will decide on concessions for certain candidates, abridged nomination fees, and ratify litigation against INEC for damages. He criticized the commission for “brazenly disobeying court orders,” noting that it took over 90 days to comply with a directive that required recognition of NNPP’s leadership within 72 hours.

Calling on members who left during the crisis to return, Aniebonam promised a level playing field in primaries. He added that NNPP tickets would remain “reasonable and responsible,” with concessions for women and persons with disabilities.

He also signaled openness to alliances:
“We are not opposed to agreements with other parties in some contests, depending on our aspirants and members’ decisions. We remain open to discussions with sister parties of like minds and ideologies.”

Concluding, Aniebonam expressed gratitude that Kwankwaso did not succeed in taking over the party:
“He betrayed us, but we leave him to God.”