By Henry Umoru, Assistant Politics Editor

The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, emerged as a strong political party following its victories in the 2023 polls. It was the first time it was winning elections despite being in existence for about two decades.

The entrance of former Governor of Kano State, Senator Musa Kwankwaso and his supporters changed the fortunes of the NNPP, which came fourth in the 2023 presidential election with Kwankwaso as candidate.

It defeated the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Kano governorship election, won some senatorial seats, House of Representatives and over 27 members of Kano State House of Assembly.

Now, the founder of the NNPP, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, and the camp of Kwankwaso are at daggers drawn at a time the party is expected to expand its tentacles and gain more political mileage in readiness for 2027.

Parallel excos

Following the exit of Professor Rufai Alkali, both camps are locked in a battle for the control of the party’s soul and leadership.

While the Kwankwaso group is led by Dr Ahmed Ajuji, the faction loyal to Dr. Aniebonam is led by Dr Agbo Major. Both sides have parallel executives, which suspended or expelled one another.

While the Ajuri-led exco suspended or expelled, Aniebonam, and Dr Agbo Major, among others in that camp, the Agbo-led factiob also suspended or expelled the executive members of the Kwankwaso side,  the former Minister of Defence himself as well as Governor Kabir Yusuf of Kano state who was suspended for attending a convention organised by the Ajuji-led side.

Conflicting court orders

To buttress their respective stand, both factions are also armed with court orders, barring one another from parading as executives of the party. But the two camps have carried on as though not restrained by any order as the two factions continue to operate unhindered.

As part of moves by the Kwankwaso group to relegate that of  Aniebonam to the background, it changed the party’s logo.  On July 12, 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC approved the new Logo and Constitution in favour of Kwankwaso’s camp, thereby pushing out the founder of the party.

The action of Kwankwaso and his men drew the ire of the Agbo faction.

On why the Logo was changed,  the Ajuji-led side through its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson explained: “Our experience in the last general elections when the old logo with its many colours posed a great challenge in the production of the ballot papers gave us a clear indication that, for the party, going forward, there was an urgent need to do something about the logo, especially.

“In fact, in some cases, our voters were confused by the way the old logo came out in the ballot papers across the country. We, therefore, went on a mission of dialogue and wide consultations within and outside the party, which took us to where we are today.”

Aniebonam flays INEC

In his reaction during  an interactive session with Journalists in Abuja on the change of Logo and Constitution of the Party, Dr Aniebonam flayed the INEC for agreeing  to the change of  the NNPP logo and colour as well as the amendment of the party’s constitution.

He also accused  Senator Kwankwaso and his camp of disobeying a court order by holding a national convention and coercing INEC officials to grace the event.

Dr Aniebonam who lamented that many concerned Nigerians and stakeholders had blamed him for welcoming Kwankwaso and his loyalists into the party, however disclosed that all he ever wanted was to ensure they created a platform that would result in a better Nigeria. 

However,  he declared the recent amendment of the constitution and change in logo, colour and flag of the NNPP as null and void as he was still in possession of the Certificate that was used to register the party.

Dr Aniebonam said: “I founded this party in 2001 with the aim of creating a space and choice for ordinary Nigerians. But it is no longer representing its name. All I wanted was a better Nigeria which Kwankwaso and the rest have frustrated. I am the founder and the chairman of the board of trustees of the party. It is also written in the constitution that I am a life member of the board. That means you cannot wake up tomorrow and say you have sacked me.

“But this Kwankwaso and his unemployed characters seem to be going about saying they have sacked the founder. Secondly, their penchant for disobeying the law and disrespecting court orders is unbelievable. You don’t have to be a lawyer to know that once a matter is before the court, everybody must remain in its original position pending the determination of the suit.

“Why are we then hearing that Kwankwaso has held a convention when the matter is in court? Yet, he and INEC were duly served. Why should INEC also attend that particular convention?  Again, why should INEC go to the extent of also approving the change in logo, flag and colour of the party?

“Here is the question: If you go to a bank to open a company account, won’t you be asked for relevant documents and the CAC certificate? The NNPP registration certificate is still in my possession. As of the time INEC approved the amendment of the constitution and changing of the logo, didn’t it request the original certificate? What exactly is wrong with INEC? All I can say is that the chairman of INEC should improve on his supervision in the commission he is managing.”

INEC didn’t err — Kwankwaso’s camp

Kwankwaso’s camp however disagreed with the position of the founder. Its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson said that Aniebonam’s claim was false.

Reiterating that INEC has not erred in the execution of its duties, Johnson  insisted that the founder and his factional team remained expelled. He said: “Aniebonam lied. Let him produce any court order that said there should be a status quo. There was a court summon. Expectedly, we turned up in court just like INEC, and their motion was struck out. The court also ruled that they were no longer members.”

When he was reminded that the constitution of the NNPP  does not recognise the expulsion of its founder and a life member, Johnson said: “You can only remain a life member if you are of good behaviour. It does not mean that you are above the Constitution. Go and look at the case of APGA involving Victor Umeh and others all the way to the Supreme Court. They removed their so-called founder, and the apex court upheld it.

“No one is above the constitution. The bottom line is that Aniebonam is out of the party and INEC has followed constitutional procedures.”

INEC faults Aniebonam

On its own part, INEC while reacting to allegation made by Aniebonam, stated that the change of Logo by the NNPP was approved by the Commission following due process.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, who spoke on behalf of his boss, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said Aniebonam’s allegations were not true, stressing that  the Commission was not fueling the crisis in the party, just as he said that  the commission was aware that the party had some cases in court and prayed that the issues are resolved as soon as possible.

IPAC wades in

Meanwhile, Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle has agreed to wade into the crisis and bring the two factions together, just as he said that it would not be rocket science to resolve the intraparty squabbles adding that it was part of the obligations of IPAC.

The question is how far can IPAC go in nipping the crisis rocking the NNPP in the bud? 

Vanguard News