By Obinna Uballa
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has disclosed plans to align with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 presidential election, confirming that the party will support a joint opposition platform even as its former presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, moves to formally join the ADC.
NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, revealed the development on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Johnson said that although the party would not field a presidential candidate in 2027, it would remain active in other contests by presenting candidates for several elective positions across the country.
“The NNPP will continue to contest elections. Although at the presidential level we will be in alignment with the ADC, and possibly in some national elections, we are going to have candidates down the ballot,” Johnson said.
He explained that discussions about the alliance had been ongoing among opposition leaders prior to Kwankwaso’s decision to leave the NNPP and join the ADC.
Johnson also dismissed concerns that the exit of Kwankwaso, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate and a former two-term governor of Kano State, would weaken the party.
According to him, the emerging coalition among opposition figures is aimed at creating a stronger political alternative capable of addressing the country’s challenges.
“There were extensive discussions. Some opposition leaders have decided that it will best serve their purposes and those of Nigerians to come together under one platform as an alternative for 2027,” he said.
Johnson further confirmed that Kwankwaso would officially register as a member of the ADC in Kano State on Monday following his resignation from the NNPP.
“He resigned from the NNPP and will join the ADC today in Kano State,” he added.
Kwankwaso’s planned defection follows weeks of consultations between the former governor, leaders of the Kwankwasiyya political movement and top figures within the ADC as part of efforts to build a broader opposition coalition ahead of the next general election.
In recent weeks, Kwankwaso held a series of high-level meetings with key opposition stakeholders aimed at forging a united political front capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
Among those he met were ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola; Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi; Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde; and Bayelsa West Senator Seriake Dickson.
He also met with party leaders and political stakeholders in Kano State last week to consolidate internal support within the Kwankwasiyya movement ahead of the anticipated shift.
On Sunday, Kwankwaso formally announced his resignation from the NNPP and urged his supporters to join the ADC, saying the decision was necessary in light of the country’s evolving political dynamics.
“I wish to formally announce my resignation from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) with immediate effect,” Kwankwaso said.
“As a committed and bonafide member of the party, this was not an easy decision to make. However, considering the current trajectory of the nation’s political landscape, which calls for strategic realignment, I have found it necessary to identify with another political platform that offers the best opportunity to effectively change the nation.”
The development comes amid a widening rift between Kwankwaso and his former political ally, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.
Yusuf recently defected from the NNPP to the ruling APC alongside several lawmakers and political appointees, a move that deepened divisions within the Kwankwasiyya political structure.
Kwankwaso publicly criticised the governor’s defection, describing it as a betrayal and a departure from the political ideals of the movement he founded.
The emerging alliance between the NNPP and ADC is part of broader efforts by opposition leaders to consolidate forces ahead of the 2027 elections, amid growing calls for a united platform to challenge the APC at the national level.
