NNPP Denies Secret Agreement to Collapse Party Structure for Obi and Kwankwaso

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has rejected claims that it struck a secret deal to dismantle its organisational framework in favour of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful Peter Obi and his prospective running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

NNPP National Chairman Bala Yusuf made the clarification during an interview with Punch on the margins of the party’s 11th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.

Yusuf stressed that the party has not entered into any pact with Kwankwaso, the NDC, or any other political organisation.

Over the last six months, the NNPP lost its sole elected governor, Abba Yusuf of Kano State, together with nearly all his appointees, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party also saw its former presidential candidate, Kwankwaso, and former National Publicity Secretary Ladipo Johnson defect to the NDC.

Nevertheless, Yusuf insisted that Kwankwaso’s departure does not compel the NNPP to surrender its structure to him or any other platform.

He explained that the decision not to field a presidential candidate in 2027 should not be read as endorsement of any particular aspirant or party.

“This is merely some people’s belief, but as a party we have chosen not to field a candidate because more than 20 parties are registered with INEC and we do not need to run candidates just for the sake of it,” Yusuf said. “Again, we are not collapsing the NNPP structure for the NDC or the ruling party. The fact that our former presidential candidate Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso joined the NDC is not enough to make us abandon our structure for him or any other group.”

The NNPP chairman added that the party’s priority is to support credible leadership rather than simply putting forward a presidential nominee.

“It is not about having a presidential candidate that matters. Nigeria faces serious challenges, and we need to see whether other parties can produce a strong, credible and well‑focused presidential aspirant. We want to evaluate what other parties are presenting as their authentic candidates,” Yusuf noted.

Yusuf said the NNPP will assess candidates from other parties on merit before deciding on any alliance.

“We have to determine whether we have viable, presentable and qualified candidates. If we do not, it is not obligatory for us to field a presidential candidate. We will review them and then consider forming an alliance that helps us move forward. At present we have no specific party in mind, but if a party’s constitution and manifesto align with ours, we will certainly seek to work together,” he concluded.