‘We will not give automatic presidential ticket to any aspirant’ — NNPP

The Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, has said the party will not give an automatic presidential ticket to any aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aniebonam, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos, said every aspirant seeking the party’s presidential ticket would undergo a thorough screening process to assess competence, loyalty and electoral strength.

He said the decision was informed by the party’s experience in the 2023 presidential election.

The NNPP chieftain said the party would not repeat what it described as the mistake of the 2023 election, stressing that its eventual presidential candidate would emerge through a rigorous screening process rather than an automatic ticket.

He added that all aspirants would be assessed based on their competence, electoral strength and loyalty to the party.

“We have already identified three serious presidential aspirants, and after the screening process, one of them will emerge as our flag bearer. In line with INEC’s guidelines, we have uploaded a placeholder presidential candidate on the commission’s portal pending the completion of the process,” Aniebonam said.

Aniebonam blamed the party’s delayed preparations for the 2027 elections on prolonged litigation and internal disputes involving the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

“We had a lot of delays due to litigation aimed at stopping Kwankwaso from hijacking the NNPP. The internal crisis also led to the defection of some members to other political parties. However, we are not deterred and our aspirants will still make their mark,” he said.

He disclosed that the party’s emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting would consider dates for its national convention, review concessions for some categories of aspirants, reduce nomination fees and discuss proposed legal action against INEC.

Describing the electoral body’s alleged failure to obey court orders as sad and regrettable, Aniebonam said the NEC would ratify plans to institute legal action against the commission.

He also appealed to former members of the party to return, assuring them of equal opportunities.

“Our nomination process is fair and inclusive. Female aspirants and persons with disabilities will enjoy concessions, and we remain open to working with political parties that share our ideology,” he said.