- Maintains Kwankwaso, Others Remain Expelled, Urges INEC To Update Its Records
- Invites Elected Lawmakers To Take Ownership Of Their Party
Following a court order in Abia State, the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) announced on Tuesday that it has taken over control of the party’s structure,
This is even as the party called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with the ruling by inviting the BoT and amending its records according to reflect the ruling.
The Founder and Life Member of the Board, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, made this announcement at a world press conference in Lagos, which attended by other party chieftains and BoT members of the party including Abdulrasak Abdulsalami, Dr. Goodluck Onochie, and Chief Ralph Nwoye, among others.
Aniebonam stated that the party is now securely in the hands of its Board of Trustees (BOT) following the court’s decision, asserting that those “who were long expelled from the party before the judgment cannot speak for NNPP but for their Kwankwassiya Group, which was part of us before the 2023 election but has since exited. This has been repeatedly explained to the media in the past.”
The party leader also announced that the BOT of NNPP would meet on Friday, November 8, 2024, to make specific decisions in line with the court’s order, urging elected Senators, House of Representatives members, and state Assembly members on the party’s platform to reclaim their party.
“Distinguished members of the media, the recent Abia State High Court judgment compelling INEC to hand over the management of the New Nigeria People’s Party to its Board of Trustees and subsequent developments are why we invited you here today.
“First, it is important to clarify that the party is securely in the hands of its BoT, and Senator Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima, and others expelled from the party before the judgment cannot represent NNPP. They only represent their Kwankwassiya Group, which parted ways with us after the 2023 election,” he said.
According to Dr. Aniebonam who also doubles as a Life Member, Board of Trustees of NNPP, “the Abia State High Court under mandamus order shifts the control of the party to its BOT under my watch.
In his words: “What this simply means is that characters like Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima, Ladipo Johnson long expelled from the party before the judgement cannot speak for NNPP but for their Kwankwassiya Group which was part of us before the 2023 election but have long exited after the election as we have repeatedly explained to the media people in the past.
Aniebonam emphasized that the court’s decision cannot be appealed by Kwankwaso or anyone else except INEC, expressing hope that the electoral body will now invite the party’s BOT to update its records in line with the court’s order.
“It is our belief that within 24 hours of this compelling order, INEC should invite the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party to amend their records as directed by the court.
“In the meantime, the Board will convene on November 8, 2024, to take specific actions as per the court’s ruling.
“We urge all party members to remain calm and law-abiding in the face of extreme provocation” he stated.
Aniebonam while brandishing the original NNPP registration certificate, therefore enjoined all the elected Senators, House Of Reps Members to take ownership of their party.
“It is our hope that Senator Rabiu Musa KWANKWASO and Buba Galadima shall respect themselves as citizens of Nigeria going forward.
“All the elected senators, Hon members of the Federal House of Representatives and State Assembly under the canopy of New Nigeria People’s Party, I want to say to you people my children, come to me in Lagos and take your party. You are the pride and face of the New Nigeria People’s Party” he echoed.
