NNPP: We Are Not Aligning With Kwankwaso’s ADC

The founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Boniface Aniebonam, has stated that members of the party will not follow Rabiu Kwankwaso to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), amid developments surrounding the latter’s exit from the party.

According to Ireporter Online, Aniebonam made the remarks on Sunday in Lagos while responding to Kwankwaso’s decision to resign from the NNPP. Kwankwaso, who served as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, had earlier announced his immediate departure, citing the need to align with a political platform he believes is better positioned to drive meaningful change in the country. He is expected to formally join the ADC on March 30.

Reacting to the development, Aniebonam emphasized that the NNPP would not be moving alongside the former governor, noting that only a limited number of individuals associated with the Kwankwasiyya movement may choose to follow him. He added that several others within the group had already defected to different political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The NNPP founder also dismissed a memo reportedly issued by Ahmed Ajuji, which urged party members to remain in their respective positions. Aniebonam maintained that Ajuji and other figures linked to the Kwankwasiyya movement had previously been expelled from the party following court rulings, and therefore lacked the authority to issue directives on its behalf.

He further stated that the party would not permit Kwankwaso to return or represent it in future elections, stressing that the NNPP had already moved forward and commenced engagements with prospective aspirants ahead of the 2027 presidential race. Aniebonam noted that lessons learned from the 2023 elections would inform a more structured and transparent candidate selection process going forward.

While wishing Kwankwaso success in his new political pursuit, he reiterated that the NNPP remains open to strategic collaborations with like-minded political parties in the lead-up to the 2027 elections, adding that such decisions would be made collectively by party stakeholders.