Hot SourceChuks Okocha in Abuja
A faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has stated that the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general election, Rabiu Kwankwaso, remains suspended and cannot run on the party’s platform against President Bola Tinubu or any other presidential candidate in 2027.
The National Chairman of the party, Dr Agbo Major, made this known in a statement issued yesterday.
Major emerged as the National Chairman of the faction at the party’s convention, which was held at the RockView Hotel in Apapa, in February 2025.
However, Kwankwaso’s faction shunned the convention and rejected Major’s election, insisting that Dr Ajuji Ahmed remains the only recognised National Chairman of the party.
But Major claimed that both Kwankwaso and his ally, Buba Galadima, were expelled from the party due to alleged anti-party activities.
Major’s claim was in reaction to the recent comments by Galadima, who asserted that Kwankwaso had no intention of leaving the NNPP and would contest the 2027 presidential election on the party’s platform.
Galadima had claimed that there was no evidence to support the claim that the former Kano governor was planning to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He urged Nigerians to support Kwankwaso, saying, “We will strategically stay in the NNPP until the whistle is blown for 2027 politics.”
However, the NNPP national chairman has dismissed those claims, reiterating that both men have long been ousted from the party.
According to Major, “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”.
He disclosed that the party’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Kwankwasiyya Movement led by Kwankwaso was terminated shortly after the 2023 presidential election.
“We cannot even allow Kwankwaso, for whatever reason, to return to the NNPP fold because of the problems and internal wranglings he created for us,” Major added.
According to him, Kwankwaso’s time in the party was marked by turmoil and divisiveness.
“Kwankwaso led us into unnecessary litigation and even changed our party logo to the Kwankwasiyya logo, all in an attempt to hijack the leadership of the party. 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 explained.
Major further accused Kwankwaso of seeking another “free ticket” as he allegedly received for the 2023 polls. “Kwankwaso must be counting on another free ticket like he got for the 2023 presidential election, but it will not happen again.”
He stated categorically that the party would not readmit Kwankwaso or his group, saying they “massively betrayed our trust.”
“Certainly, Kwankwaso can never join any political party where he will not have the chance of leadership,” Major said.
“He does not have the pedigree to match President Tinubu in any contest, and so his ambition is dead on arrival.”
While acknowledging Kwankwaso’s right as a Nigerian citizen to seek any elective office, the NNPP chairman warned him against dragging the party into his political ambitions or attacks on Tinubu.
“Whoever will emerge as the NNPP 2027 presidential candidate will do so, following due process and constitutionality,” he stated.
“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 the public to disregard any statements made by Kwankwaso or his associates claiming to represent the NNPP.
“The NNPP as a party believes in constructive criticisms of issues and not against personalities or other political parties. We advise Kwankwaso to float his party and use it for his own agenda,” Major added, stressing that the NNPP has moved on and can’t be dragged into unnecessary controversies again.”
