The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has announced that it will not field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, opting instead to explore possible alliances with other political parties in what it described as a move driven by national interest.
The party’s National Chairman, Bala Yunusa Mohammed, disclosed the decision on Friday during the party’s 11th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
According to him, the decision reflects the party’s assessment of the country’s current challenges and the need for political actors to prioritise Nigeria’s future above partisan considerations.
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“We are here today to have our National Executive Committee meeting, which is the second-highest organ of the party. We are here to ratify some decisions taken during the conduct of our selection process because we adopted the consensus model as provided for in the Electoral Act 2026,” Mohammed said.
“For now, we are not going to have any presidential candidate in our party. However, we are open to alliances. Nigeria is in a very difficult situation and we need to see other parties that can produce a credible and focused presidential candidate. If such a candidate emerges, there is nothing wrong with joining forces to support that person.”
The chairman explained that the NEC meeting was convened to ratify decisions arising from the party’s consensus-based primaries and formally approve candidates selected for governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections across the country and the Federal Capital Territory.
He also disclosed that the meeting ratified the appointment of an acting national chairman following the resignation of the former occupant of the office, who has since defected to another political party.
Mohammed stressed that the NNPP had not entered into alliance discussions with any particular political party and would only consider such a move after evaluating the presidential candidates eventually produced by other parties.
“We do not have any political party in mind. We want to see what other parties have produced as their authentic presidential candidates. Then we will examine their credentials and determine whether there is a basis for collaboration,” he said.
“There are over 20 political parties registered by INEC. We cannot all field candidates simply for the sake of fielding candidates. We must be realistic. If we have a viable and qualified candidate, we will present one. If we do not, then we can support a credible alternative in the national interest.”
Earlier, the party’s National Secretary, Dipo Olayoku, presented a report on activities leading to the NEC meeting and the ratification of candidates for the 2027 elections.
Olayoku described the gathering as the culmination of a political process that began at ward, local government and state levels across the federation.
“Today’s gathering is the climax of political activities which started from the wards to the local governments and then the states of the federation to elect our candidates at all levels who will fly the flag of the party in the 2027 general election,” he said.
The national secretary noted that the party had recorded notable achievements since its formation, including winning the governorship election in Kano State and securing representation in the National Assembly, state legislatures and local government councils.
He added that the NEC meeting was held in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political parties to ratify primary election outcomes in the presence of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Olayoku also acknowledged the challenges faced by the party in recent years, particularly the defection of some elected officials and political appointees who emerged under its platform.
“The past three years have not been easy for this party. Many of those we worked hard to bring into office have left in the name of political realignment. Some left on good terms, while others departed under less favourable circumstances. That is the nature of politics,” he stated.
Despite the setbacks, party leaders expressed confidence that the NNPP remains a relevant political force and reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to Nigeria’s democratic development ahead of the 2027 elections.
