The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has cautioned political actors against making allegations that could trigger unrest, as it distanced itself from recent claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) regarding the ruling party’s alleged interference in opposition activities.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ogini Olaposi, the NNPP rejected comments made by Bolaji Abdullahi, interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, who had alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was targeting ADC leaders in northern Nigeria in a bid to weaken the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Abdullahi also suggested that the coalition of opposition parties—which adopted the ADC as its platform on July 2—was facing pressure from individuals seeking to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
Responding to these remarks, the NNPP said such statements could be misinterpreted by the public and contribute to political instability.
Olaposi said the party ordinarily would not have responded but was compelled to do so after Abdullahi mentioned the NNPP in televised interviews while making his allegations.
He stated that the NNPP is not part of any opposition coalition and has not authorised any group or party to speak on its behalf.
“Kwankwaso joining the coalition or not is not tantamount to NNPP joining the ADC or coalition,” the statement read. “We are not part of any coalition or ADC. The coalition cannot speak for us under any circumstance.”
The party further clarified that its internal leadership crisis was not instigated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the presidency, but was instead the result of actions by former presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his supporters.
“Our crisis arose from a betrayal of trust by the Kwankwasiya Movement, even though the Memorandum of Understanding signed for the 2022 presidential election had expired,” it stated.
Olaposi emphasized that the NNPP does not subscribe to the conventional definition of “opposition” in Nigeria, arguing that the term is often misused to imply total rejection of government actions.
He said the party views itself as a constructive participant in the political process, not an adversary.
He also criticized politicians for disregarding internal dispute resolution mechanisms and opting for litigation instead.
“Politicians gave themselves constitutions but continue to seek court interpretations of their own rules,” he said.
The party reiterated that the NNPP was established to contest elections and not to serve as a platform for coalitions aimed at challenging other political parties.
“No one should be deceived into thinking that the NNPP is part of any political gang-up,” the statement added.
