The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has declared that its 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, will not be permitted to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the party.
The party’s National Secretary, Ogini Olaposi, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday, January 11, 2026, stating that the NNPP’s presidential ticket for the next general election would be open only to bona fide and recognised members of the party.
Olaposi explained that unlike the 2023 election, when the presidential ticket was exclusively offered to Kwankwaso, the 2027 ticket would be contested by all qualified members who meet the party’s requirements.
According to him, Kwankwaso’s exclusion is a result of unresolved disagreements between the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement, which he said had formally parted ways with the party.
He disclosed that the NNPP entered into a Memorandum of Association with the Kwankwasiyya Movement in 2022, but noted that the agreement expired after the 2023 general elections. He added that alleged anti-party activities by members of the movement after the polls led to the expulsion of several key figures, including Kwankwaso.
Olaposi further revealed that the party already has aspiring presidential candidates ahead of 2027, including two Nigerians based in the diaspora, and remains open to more aspirants.
He also stated that the NNPP is willing to collaborate with other political parties that share similar ideologies, stressing that any such alliance must be handled exclusively by the party’s National Working Committee.
Reacting to recent comments credited to Kwankwaso suggesting that any party he joins must offer him its presidential ticket, Olaposi dismissed the claim, describing it as unrealistic.
He argued that Kwankwaso lacks nationwide electoral appeal and claimed that his political influence in Kano State has significantly declined, citing defections of key figures associated with the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
Olaposi maintained that the ruling party’s prospects ahead of the 2027 elections would be driven by performance rather than individual political influence, adding that Kwankwaso’s past position as governor would not affect voting outcomes in Kano State.
He concluded by warning political parties seeking alliances with the NNPP to engage only with the party’s recognised leadership, insisting that expelled members have no mandate to negotiate on behalf of the party.
