The New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Tinubu administration of utilizing all possible strategies to destabilise the party.
Currently, the NNPP is split into two rival factions: one loyal to Rabiu Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiya Movement, and the other led by Dr Boniface Aniebonam and Dr Agbo Gilbert Major.
Following the 2023 general elections, Major and Aniebonam were expelled from the party due to allegations of anti-party activities, yet they have remained defiant.
DAILY POST reports that both individuals have sought legal recourse in various courts nationwide, initially without success, until they recently obtained favorable rulings from courts, including a directive from the FCT High Court in Maitama instructing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognise the Major-led National Working Committee, NWC.
Despite this faction not conducting primary elections and not being included in the membership register submitted to INEC by the NWC led by Bala Yunusa Muhammed, INEC has granted them access to its portal to submit the names of candidates for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
During a press conference at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Mohammed, the National Chairman of the NNPP aligned with Kwankwaso, expressed his astonishment at INEC’s prompt recognition of the Major-led faction, despite previous assurances to collaborate with his faction.
When asked about the origins of the NNPP crisis, the party Chair stated, “The ruling party or the current government is likely responsible, as we have consistently received favorable judgments until suddenly, they approached a lower court in Abuja and Abia State, obtaining a default judgment. It is widely understood that a judgment cannot be rendered without a fair hearing for both parties involved.
“For such a judgment to be issued, it is evident that something is amiss. There are unseen influences at play, indicating that certain forces are behind these actions.”
In discussing the reasons he believes the APC and the current government are intent on undermining the NNPP, he remarked, “Following the 2023 general election, we emerged as the third most popular political party in Nigeria. Consequently, these forces perceive our party as a threat and are attempting to instigate chaos within our ranks. They have begun to exploit expelled members of our party, providing them with funding to create unrest within our organization.
“INEC acted prematurely. They should have upheld the status quo they communicated to us during our meeting at their office. We are uncertain as to why they altered their position. If a judgment is rendered and we are dissatisfied with it, we have the right to appeal. It is imperative that they wait for the appeal to be resolved before making any decisions. However, they did not wait; they hastily made a decision by appointing individuals who are not even recognized as members of the NNPP.
“These individuals have been expelled and are not included in the NNPP membership register, as INEC has mandated that all party member registrations be conducted electronically and submitted by May 10th, which we have complied with. Therefore, it is unacceptable to appoint someone who is not a member of the party to lead it.”
2027: ‘It’s APC’s handwork’ – Bala-led NNPP on INEC recognitionof Major’s NWC