The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has warned the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against selecting Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso as a running mate, alleging that the former NNPP presidential candidate will eventually turn against them.
The NNPP stated that Kwankwaso’s fallout with the party after contesting the 2023 presidential election on its platform should serve as a warning to the NDC.
The party’s National Secretary-General, Ogini Olaposi, issued a statement on Monday describing Obi’s choice of Kwankwaso as a running mate as a gross mistake.
Olaposi argued that the NDC should have examined Kwankwaso’s political track record before settling on him.
“This is why political parties must be careful about whom they choose as running mates and flag bearers. Kwankwaso dragged down a party that brought him into the limelight during the presidential contest, a party that freely gave him a platform and did all it could to support him. Does he now think he is immune to the wrath of God? Once a betrayer, always a betrayer, and posterity will prove us right,” he said.
Olaposi alleged that Kwankwaso turned against the NNPP following the 2023 presidential election despite the opportunities provided by the party.
“The rare opportunity the NNPP gave Kwankwaso in 2023, along with a free ticket, is what has brought him to the forefront of presidential negotiations in Nigeria today,” he stated.
He further alleged that Kwankwaso’s actions triggered an internal crisis within the NNPP, causing several members to defect.
“We will not soon forget how he fractured the party, leading our members to leave in droves. He will betray the NDC in the same manner before long,” Olaposi said.
The NNPP chieftain also dismissed claims that the party had been handed over to Kwankwaso by its founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam.
“It is preposterous and unthinkable to assert that we gave away the assets of the Board of Trustees of a registered political party without handing over the original certificate of registration,” he noted.
Olaposi maintained that Obi’s popularity alone cannot secure victory for the NDC in the 2027 election, stressing that voters will closely scrutinize the vice-presidential candidate’s background.
“A single candidate cannot guarantee victory. People will also examine the running mate’s track record because, in unforeseen circumstances, the vice president could become president. Nigerians are aware of this, and the NDC will realize it at the polls,” he said.
He dismissed large crowds at political rallies as false indicators of electoral strength, pointing out that turnout does not automatically translate into votes.
“Renting crowds at rallies does not equate to votes. That same crowd can be paid to show up anywhere else,” Olaposi remarked.
He urged the founder of the NDC, Seriake Dickson, to remain alert and protect the party’s structure, calling on him to ensure his co-founders are mobilized to guard against external influence.
Olaposi concluded by appealing to former NNPP members who had defected to return ahead of the 2027 general elections.