The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has extended its nomination form sales deadline by one week for the 2027 elections, exposing a deepening rift between the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party had initially scheduled May 10 as the commencement date for the sale of nomination forms but has now shifted the collection and submission deadline to May 17. The announcement, made in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos, was signed by the party’s Secretary-General, Ogini Olaposi.
Olaposi stated that the extension was contained in a directive from the NNPP Board of Trustees to the National Working Committee, signed into effect by the party’s founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam.
That a decision of this nature required the personal approval of the party’s founder signals how closely Aniebonam continues to hold the reins of power within the NNPP, even as the party navigates a turbulent period in its institutional history.
At the heart of the delay is a bureaucratic standoff with Nigeria’s electoral umpire. According to Olaposi, the reason for the extension is the delay by INEC in uploading the logo of the authentic leadership of the NNPP, led by Dr. Agbo Gilbert Major.
Without a recognized party logo on INEC’s platform, the party’s nomination process faces a legal and administrative vacuum that could invalidate the entire exercise.
This is not the first time the NNPP has found itself at loggerheads with INEC over the recognition of its leadership. The party has insisted on going ahead with its congresses and internal processes, with or without INEC’s compliance with court orders directing the commission to recognize the Dr. Agbo Major-led National Working Committee.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court order by Justice Bello Kawu had specifically directed INEC, within 72 hours, to update and recognize the Major-led NWC and revert to the original logo of the NNPP.
That order, sources within the party indicate, has yet to be fully complied with, a situation that has drawn the ire of the party’s leadership and stoked uncertainty among aspirants who had already begun positioning themselves for the 2027 contest.
Aniebonam himself has been vocal, accusing INEC of continued delay in obeying court orders and noting that such delays and the prolonged leadership tussle have denied the NNPP and its members opportunities to participate in various elections nationwide.
Despite the procedural hiccup, the NNPP has made its ambitions for 2027 abundantly clear and has put a price tag on them. The party has pegged its nomination form fees at N5 million for presidential aspirants, N2.5 million for governorship, N1.5 million for the Senate, N1 million for the House of Representatives, and N500,000 for the House of Assembly.
In what may be seen as a bid to broaden its political base and signal inclusivity ahead of a crucial election cycle, the party announced that forms would be free for all women and persons with physical disabilities and that all elected officers seeking re-election are guaranteed automatic tickets after purchasing the forms.
Notably, screening dates for candidates shall run simultaneously with earlier announced dates, meaning the extension does not disrupt the broader internal election timetable.
The Board of Trustees has also tasked the National Working Committee with intensifying preparations to ensure the NNPP fields candidates for all elective positions in the 2027 polls, an ambitious target for a party still wrestling with internal consolidation and regulatory friction.
Under INEC’s official timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly polls will follow on February 6, 2027, leaving political parties precious little time to complete primaries, resolve disputes, and mobilize nationwide.
Nigeria’s opposition space, of which the NNPP is a part, has been characterized by fragmentation, leadership tussles, and court cases over party control since the 2023 election dynamics that analysts warn may continue to weaken opposition cohesion ahead of 2027.
For now, Olaposi urged party members and aspirants to remain calm, assuring them that the issue with INEC would be resolved imminently.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The NNPP’s one-week extension of its nomination form deadline is not merely an administrative adjustment; it is a symptom of a deeper, unresolved conflict between the party and INEC over the recognition of its legitimate leadership.
Until INEC complies with a valid court order to upload the party’s official logo and recognize the Agbo Major-led National Working Committee, the NNPP’s 2027 electoral ambitions remain on shaky ground.
