The New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) is facing internal turmoil after its presidential candidate, Suleiman Mohammed Dikwa, was omitted from the final list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, despite having appeared on the commission's earlier provisional register.
Party Officials Gagged Amid Investigation
Mamman Damisa, Chairman of the NNPP State Chairmen's Forum, confirmed the situation, stating, "Investigations are ongoing, and I have been directed to keep mute until this issue is resolved." When pressed on whether the leadership had deliberately initiated Dikwa's withdrawal, Damisa added, "I cannot say yet, but I have been directed not to grant any interviews."
Grassroots members and party delegates are demanding answers from the national leadership, but the party has responded by imposing a gag order on its officials. Dikwa had secured the party's unanimous nomination before the provisional list was released, making his absence from the final publication all the more striking.
INEC's Procedural Constraints
A senior INEC official in Abuja shed light on the procedural constraints around candidate omissions. "INEC cannot remove the name of a candidate without an official request for replacement submitted by the party or an explicit order from a court of competent jurisdiction," the official said. The clarification has deepened suspicions of behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings within the party or possible legal disputes.
Dikwa himself could not be reached for comment, as his phone lines went unanswered and messages were not returned. The circumstances surrounding his removal from the ballot remain unresolved as NNPP supporters wait for an official statement from party headquarters.
Dikwa's Reform Agenda Gains Traction
The omission comes as Dikwa's campaign had begun drawing attention with a reform-heavy agenda that took aim at the structure of the Nigerian federation. In a recent interview on KT 103.9 FM in Jos, he called for 55 per cent of federation revenue to be sent directly to Nigeria's 774 Local Government Areas, arguing that over 80 million Nigerians depend on the rural economy and that local councils must have the resources to drive development from the ground up.
Dikwa also proposed scrapping Nigeria's bicameral National Assembly in favour of a leaner unicameral legislature, with the savings redirected to capital investment across regional economic blocs. On security, he argued that military operations alone cannot defeat banditry and insurgency while economic gaps in ungoverned areas remain unaddressed, and outlined plans to establish agro-ecological development corridors tied to the Land Degradation Neutrality framework as a way to replace illicit rural economies with legitimate ones.
Related Legal Battle Over Candidate Swap
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that businessman Pratt Tunde filed a federal high court suit after allegedly discovering his NDC candidacy was secretly swapped on August 1, 2026. Pratt won the NDC primary for Lagos Mainland Federal Constituency on May 29, 2026, with INEC monitoring the election. The suit named INEC and the NDC as respondents and sought an urgent hearing to prevent ballot papers from being printed with the wrong candidate's name.
