The crisis rocking the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) assumed another dimension on Tuesday, as a faction loyal to the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam suspended the presidential candidate in the February 25 general election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
However, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, loyal to Kwankwaso has expelled, with immediate effect, Aniebonam, who is also the founder of the party and some members for anti-party activities.
The Secretary of BoT, Babayo Abdulahi announced the suspension of Kwankwaso for six months over anti-party activities at the end of special general assembly held in Lagos on Tuesday.
Surprisingly, the party’s BoT also suspended the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
In party administration, the BoT decision is best advisory and thus lacks the power to suspend an important organ like the NWC.
Also, the BoT also appointed new national officers headed by Dr. Agbo Major as acting National Chairman and Mr. Ogini Olaposi as acting National Secretary alongside about 18 others.
He said that Aniebonam had resigned as the BoT chairman and a new BoT Chairman, Tope Aluko was elected with Abdulahi as new BoT Secretary, while Tony Obioha was elected as BoT spokesperson.
Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, Abdulahi accused Kwankwaso of meeting secretly with President Bola Tinubu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Mr. Peter Obi, without the board’s authorisation
Meanwhile, the NEC of the party on Tuesday in Abuja expelled Aniebonam for creating a parallel group within the party with a view to causing disaffection in the NNPP.
The Kwankwaso group also upheld motions to extend the tenure of the acting national chairman, Mallam Abah-Kawu Ali and to redesign the party’s logo.
The NEC also expelled Agbo and Aluko from the party.
The National Secretary of the party, Olayoku Dipo, while addressing journalists at the end of the meeting disclosed that the party was in the process of setting up a properly constituted BoT in line with its constitution.
His words: “At the National Executive Committee meeting of the NNPP held in Abuja today August 29th 2023, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, Agbo Major and several others were Expelled from the party.
“The NEC also moved several other motions relating to the Logo of the party, the amendment of the constitution, ratification of the State caretaker committees, and suspension of two Articles in the constitution of the NNPP 2022.
“At the meeting were the Executive Governor of Kano State, the National Chairman, Distinguished Senator Kawu Ismaila, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Engr Buba Galadima and many others.
“NEC noted that there were suspended (now expelled) persons who purportedly held a Board of Trustees meeting in Apapa, Lagos this morning.”