A chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Magaji Mato, has said there will be no issues with meeting the legal deadline set by the Electoral Act if Rabiu Kwankwaso eventually decides to join another political party.

Mato stated that members of the NNPP and those aligned with Kwankwaso are closely monitoring developments related to the Electoral Act, especially amid growing speculation that the former Kano State governor and some of his supporters could leave the party.

He made the remarks during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday morning when he was asked whether a possible defection by Kwankwaso could conflict with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The concern raised was that Kwankwaso had already completed his electronic registration with the NNPP, and joining another party would require registering again, which could result in his name appearing on two party registers.

Responding to the question, Mato explained that appropriate steps would be taken if Kwankwaso decides to move to a new party.

According to him, once such a decision is made, Kwankwaso would formally resign his position within the NNPP in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act before registering with the new political party.

He added that preparations are ongoing to ensure all procedures are followed properly and that the party meets every deadline required under the law.

Mato also noted that the situation has made party members more alert and proactive, stressing that they are determined to handle the process correctly so that Nigerians can freely choose their leaders in the 2027 Nigerian general elections.