By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, has disclosed that the party will soon announce a frontline presidential candidate it intends to support in the 2027 general election.
Aniebonam, who made the disclosure in a statement on Tuesday, explained that prolonged litigation over the party’s leadership affected its preparations for the presidential election, leaving insufficient time to select a candidate capable of competing with leading contenders from other political parties.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised the NNPP leadership under Dr Agbo Major as national chairman, but the limited time between the recognition and the election preparations made it difficult for the party to produce its own presidential candidate.
According to the statement signed by Aniebonam, the party had settled for a placeholder candidate while searching for a credible presidential contender with the character and capacity to lead Nigeria.
He stressed that the NNPP remained committed to its manifesto and the standards it had established for anyone seeking to occupy the highest political office in the country.
“We made a mistake with Kwankwaso in 2023 and do not want to repeat it,” he said, adding that the party was determined to make a more considered decision this time.
Aniebonam maintained that the NNPP was not desperate to govern Nigeria at all costs, noting that its political decisions were guided by its belief that leadership was ultimately determined by God.
He added that the party did not regard politics as a do-or-die affair and would prioritise the national interest in deciding which presidential candidate to support.
The NNPP founder said the party’s national leadership would meet soon to conclude the adoption arrangement and formally announce its decision to Nigerians.
He emphasised that the party would support a candidate it considered best suited to address the country’s challenges and serve the interests of Nigerians.
Aniebonam further disclosed that NNPP members across the country, alongside maritime practitioners, shippers and other key stakeholders in the maritime transport and logistics sectors, would have an opportunity to contribute to the decision on the presidential candidate to be adopted.
He, however, clarified that the party’s decision not to field a presidential candidate in 2027 would not affect its participation in other elective positions.
According to him, the NNPP’s candidates nationwide remain in the race for other offices, describing their participation in those elections as non-negotiable.
“For now, the only position we will no longer be contesting for is the presidency. By 2031, we would have elected a presidential candidate to compete favourably with other political parties,” he added.
