***As NEC ratifies appointment of Bala Mohammed as acting national chairman following the resignation of former national chairman

***Ratifies the appointment of acting state chairmen for Ogun, Delta, Nasarawa, and Cross River states.

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

Ahead of the 2027 presidential and general elections, the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, has said that it will not field a presidential candidate in the forthcoming election, saying that it would rather explore possible alliances with other political parties ahead of the polls.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the party’s 11th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the party’s National Chairman, Bala Mohammed, explained that the decision was arrived at following the need for the party to support a credible candidate who can address Nigeria’s challenges.

According to him, the NNPP would assess the presidential candidates presented by other political parties before deciding on any alliance arrangement.

Mohammed explained that the NEC meeting was convened to ratify candidates selected through the consensus method adopted by the party in line with the Electoral Act 2026.

Meanwhile, NEC of the party has ratified the appointment of Bala Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman following the resignation of former National Chairman, Dr Ajuji Ahmed.

The party has also ratified the appointment of acting state chairmen for Ogun, Delta, Nasarawa, and Cross River states.

The NNPP chairman had earlier explained that the meeting was going to formally ratify the appointment of an acting national chairman following the resignation of the party’s former chairman, who recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“We are not going to have a presidential candidate in our party, but we are open to an alliance,” Mohammed said.

According to him, the country’s current situation requires political parties to unite behind a competent and focused presidential candidate rather than field candidates merely for the sake of participation.

“It is not compulsory to field a presidential candidate just for the sake of it. We need to see those who have emerged from other political parties and determine whether they are credible, qualified and capable of leading Nigeria,” he stated.

On speculations that the party may align with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) against the backdrop that the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate has since joined the NDC, Mohammed said no decision had been taken, adding that the NNPP remained open to engaging with all political parties and would eventually align with a party whose constitution, manifesto and presidential candidate align with the NNPP’s ideals.

He said, “As of 2023, the presidential candidate we fielded was the most qualified and most credible candidate in Nigeria. But he has left our party and joined the NDC. We wish him all the best.”

Mohammed added that the absence of a candidate of similar stature within the party informed the decision not to nominate a presidential contender for the 2027 election.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the party’s national secretary, Dipo Olayoku, who presented a report detailing the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections, said that the NEC meeting marked the culmination of a series of political activities conducted from the ward level to the state level, culminating in the selection of candidates to fly the party’s flag in the forthcoming elections.

Reflecting on the party’s fortunes since the 2023 elections, he noted that the NNPP gained national prominence after securing its first governorship victory in Kano State and winning legislative seats at both the national and state levels.

He acknowledged that the party had faced significant setbacks over the past three years, including the defection of many elected officials and appointees who emerged under its platform.

“The past three years have not been easy for this party. All our elected members and appointees in government, whom we laboured to bring into office, have left in the name of political realignment,” Olayoku said.

Despite the challenges, he urged party members not to be discouraged and to work towards securing stronger electoral outcomes in 2027.