NNPP cut ties with Kwankwaso over alleged visit to Supreme Court judges

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has disowned a former governor of Kano State and its past presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, following his claim that he took Governor Abba Yusuf to some Supreme Court judges in 2019.

In a statement issued at the weekend, the party said Kwankwaso was not a member of the NNPP in 2019 when the alleged incident was said to have happened. It stressed that the claim should not be linked to the party in any way.

The national leadership of the NNPP said it was distancing itself from the allegations attributed to Kwankwaso and called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to immediately remove the party’s name from any petition submitted to the Inspector-General of Police on the matter.

According to the party, dragging the NNPP into the issue was misleading and unjustified, as it had no connection to Kwankwaso at the time the comment referred to.

In a statement signed by the National Secretary of the NNPP, Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday, the party described reports linking it to the controversy as misleading and incorrect.

“We are here to set the records straight. Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was not a member of the New Nigeria People’s Party in 2019 when he allegedly committed the offence of taking Governor Abba Yusuf to see some Supreme Court judges,” Oginni said.

According to the statement, Kwankwaso only joined the NNPP a few months before the 2023 general elections, alongside notable political figures such as Buba Galadima, Prof. Alkali, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, Prof. Hanga and the current Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf.

The party also debunked claims that Kwankwaso was a founding member of the NNPP.

“Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was never one of the founding fathers of the NNPP. The authentic founder of the party is Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam,” the statement stressed.

The NNPP further accused Kwankwaso of attempting to hijack the party after joining it, alleging that he unilaterally changed the party’s logo and colours to reflect his Kwankwasiyya movement without the consent of the party’s founder and the Board of Trustees.

“It is sad that Senator Kwankwaso attempted to convert the intellectual property of the founder of NNPP to his personal use,” the party said.

The statement recalled that a faction loyal to Kwankwaso had challenged the legitimacy of a party convention that produced Dr. Agbo Gilbert Major as National Chairman and Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday as National Secretary. It noted, however, that the suit was dismissed by a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja.

Reiterating its stance, the NNPP stated that Kwankwaso had since been expelled from the party.

“We are hereby reiterating the resolution of the National Working Committee that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is no longer a member of the NNPP. He was expelled shortly after the 2023 election for gross misconduct,” Oginni said, adding that related matters were still under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja.

“Senator Kwankwaso has long been expelled from the NNPP and should no longer be addressed as the National Leader of our great party,” the statement declared.

The party maintained that its legitimate leadership structure remains Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam as Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees; Dr. Agbo Gilbert Major as National Chairman; and Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday as National Secretary.

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