The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has dismissed speculation that it is preparing to collapse its political structure in support of an emerging opposition alliance involving Peter Obi and former party leader Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking after the party’s 11th National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, the NNPP National Chairman, Bala Yusuf, insisted that no agreement had been reached with Kwankwaso, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), or any other political party, despite growing rumours triggered by the former presidential candidate’s recent defection.
The clarification comes at a challenging period for the NNPP, which has suffered a series of high-profile defections in recent months. The party lost its only elected governor, Abba Yusuf of Kano State, along with most of his political appointees, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). It has also seen prominent figures, including Kwankwaso and former National Publicity Secretary Ladipo Johnson, leave for the NDC.
The party’s leadership, however, sought to draw a distinction between the departure of former members and the NNPP’s institutional position, stressing that it remained independent and had not committed itself to any presidential project.
Yusuf’s comments followed an announcement by the party’s National Working Committee that the NNPP would not field a presidential candidate in 2027, opting instead to explore possible alliances with other political parties in search of what it described as a credible and nationally acceptable candidate.
Addressing reports linking the party to a possible Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, Yusuf said the speculation was based largely on assumptions rather than any formal negotiations.
“This is just some people’s belief,” he said. “We as a party have taken the stand not to field a candidate because there are over 20 political parties registered under INEC and all of us cannot field candidates just for fielding sake.”
He rejected suggestions that Kwankwaso’s move to the NDC would automatically drag the NNPP into the same political camp.
“Again, we are not collapsing the NNPP structure for the NDC or the ruling party. That our former presidential candidate Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso joined the NDC is not enough to make us collapse our structure for him or any party,” Yusuf said.
Rather than rushing into an electoral arrangement, he argued, the party was focused on identifying a candidate capable of addressing Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges.
“Nigeria is seriously in a very difficult situation,” he said. “We need to see if other parties can bring out a very good, credible and well-focused presidential candidate. We want to see what other parties are producing as their authentic presidential candidate.”
The remarks suggest the NNPP is positioning itself as a potential kingmaker rather than a direct contender in the next presidential race, a strategy that could make its endorsement valuable in what is expected to be a highly competitive opposition landscape.
Yusuf said the party would assess potential partners on the basis of competence, credibility and ideological compatibility before making any commitment.
“We have to sit and see if we have very viable, presentable and qualified candidates,” he said. “If we don’t have that, it’s not compulsory that we have to field a presidential candidate.”
He added that no preferred party had yet emerged as a prospective ally.
“For now, we don’t have any party in mind. But if the party’s constitution and manifesto align with our own party, the NNPP, definitely we will seek to work together with that party.”
The statement is likely to fuel further debate over the shape of opposition politics ahead of 2027, as parties continue to explore alliances aimed at challenging the dominance of the APC. While the NNPP has ruled out dissolving itself into another political platform, its decision not to field a presidential candidate leaves open the possibility of playing a pivotal role in any future coalition negotiations.
