In a stunning declaration that could reshape Nigeria’s 2027 political landscape, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has formally ruled out the possibility of its former presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, contesting under its platform in the next general election.
The party’s leadership, through multiple official statements, affirmed that Kwankwaso no longer holds the rights or legitimacy to fly the NNPP flag in any future presidential contest, including the highly anticipated 2027 election where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to seek a second term.
According to the NNPP’s Board of Trustees and National Working Committee, the decision is rooted in the termination of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the party and Kwankwaso, which expired on August 28, 2023. Following the expiration, the party expelled the former Kano State governor, citing gross anti-party activities and what it described as a betrayal of party loyalty and structure.
“The NNPP is bigger than any individual. The idea that Senator Kwankwaso could still be flying our presidential flag is not only false but misleading,” a senior party official said, adding that the former presidential hopeful must seek another platform if he intends to rejoin the 2027 race.
The party's decision comes amidst mounting speculations that Kwankwaso was gearing up for another presidential bid, potentially challenging incumbent President Bola Tinubu. However, the NNPP insists that the road to that ambition does not run through its corridors.
Political analysts view this move as a major setback for the Kwankwasiyya movement, which had leveraged the NNPP to capture national attention in the 2023 elections. With this firm rebuke, the NNPP appears determined to reposition itself ahead of 2027, signaling a break from the past and opening the door for a new crop of leadership within its ranks.
As the political chessboard takes shape, all eyes will now be on Kwankwaso’s next move — will he form a new party, realign with old political allies, or bow out of national politics altogether?
Either way, one thing is clear: the NNPP is charting a new course, and Kwankwaso is no longer part of its presidential equation.