The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has clarified that Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and former presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso remain members of the party, dismissing reports of their suspension or expulsion.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, made this known during an interview with News Central on Monday.
He stressed that only the faction led by Dr. Ajuji Ahmed, which is recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has the authority to speak on behalf of the NNPP.
“That party has not expelled or suspended Abba Kabir Yusuf or Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” Johnson stated.
“A party recognized by the Constitution and the Electoral Act must be the one registered by INEC. So, those making contrary claims are not a party but a group, whatever you want to call them.”
The clarification comes amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the NNPP, which has seen different factions making conflicting pronouncements about key members.
Johnson reiterated that the INEC-recognized leadership remains the legitimate authority in the party.
“INEC, for the sake of argument, recognizes the NNPP led by Dr. Ajuji Ahmed as chairman and myself, Ladipo Johnson, as publicity secretary. That is what is recognized by law today,” he emphasized.
He further explained the roots of the internal crisis, recalling that Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, one of the party’s founders, attempted to override decisions made by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
“We got to a stage where Dr. Aniebonam said, ‘I am the founder, and I am overruling the decisions of the NEC or NWC.’ And we said, no, and suspended him. Even Kwankwaso did not know he was going to be suspended, as it were. So that is how we got to this problem,” Johnson revealed.