The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has reaffirmed that Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso remain members of the party, despite ongoing internal conflicts.
Ladipo Johnson, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, provided this clarification during an interview with News Central on Monday.
He emphasized that only the faction led by Ajuji Ahmed, which is officially recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has the legitimate authority to speak for the party.
“INEC, for the sake of argument, has the NNPP under Dr. Ajuji Ahmed as chairman and myself, Ladipo Johnson, as the publicity secretary.
That is what is recognized by law today. That party has not expelled or suspended Abba Kabir Yusuf or Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” Johnson stated.
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This clarification follows an unfolding leadership crisis within the NNPP, which has seen suspensions and counter-suspensions among party leaders.
The dispute traces back to a power struggle involving one of the party’s founders, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam. Johnson revealed that Aniebonam’s attempt to overrule the decisions of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC) led to his own suspension.
“Dr. Boniface Aniebonam was one of the founders of NNPP. Kwankwaso, Buba galadima, myself, and others joined in 2022.”
“One year before the 2023 elections, issues started. We got to a stage where Dr. Aniebonam claimed authority over the party’s NEC and NWC.”
“We opposed this, leading to his suspension. Even Kwankwaso himself was unaware that he would be suspended,” Johnson explained.
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The crisis deepened when the faction loyal to Kwankwaso rejected the recent national convention that resulted in the election of Dr. Agbo Major as the NNPP’s new National Chairman.
The convention, held at Rock View Hotel in Apapa, Lagos, was reportedly attended by national and state-level party delegates.
As the dispute continues, political analysts are closely watching how the battle for the party’s leadership unfolds and how it could impact the NNPP’s future in Nigeria’s political scene.