A faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) headed by Major Agbo has expelled the party’s Presidential candidate in the February 25 general election, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The dismissal followed Kwankwaso’s alleged refusal to appear before a disciplinary committee set up by the party.
The ICIR reports that the expulsion further deepened the rivalry between the blocks within the party.
The party’s NEC under Agbo had earlier suspended Kwankwaso from the party.
Following the suspension, the NEC issued a warning that he would be expelled from the party in accordance with the terms of the party’s constitution, as revised in 2022 if he failed to appear before the committee.
Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq, the acting national publicity secretary of the party under Agbo, said in a statement released on Tuesday, September 5, in Lagos, that Kwankwaso was sacked from the NEC with immediate effect for refusing to accept the committee’s invitations.
“The NEC met in an emergency session on Friday, September 1 and resolved as follows:
“Following the refusal of Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to appear before the disciplinary committee, which sat on Thursday, August 31, after being duly invited in writing, he is hereby expelled from NNPP immediately.
“That the erstwhile presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will be reported to appropriate quarters to answer questions on financial impropriety relating to mismanagement of public funds,” Abdulrasaq stated.
The ICIR reported on Tuesday, August 29, that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the NNPP suspended Kwankwaso and another member over alleged anti-party activities.
The BoT said that the suspension would be in place for six months.
In addition, the BOT also suspended the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
The BoT announced the suspension at a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, August 29.
The suspension of the party’s founder, Boniface Aniebonam, and the national publicity secretary, Agbo Major, was previously declared by the NWC of the party on Thursday, August 24.
Addressing reporters after the meeting in Lagos, the BoT secretary, Babayo Abdulahi, accused Kwankwaso of socialising with President Bola Tinubu, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) without the board’s approval.
According to Abdullahi, Kwankwaso’s role as the national leader of the NNPP had been revoked.
In another twist, another faction of the party, speaking through the National Legal Adviser, Robort Hon, stated on Tuesday, August 29, at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that the suspension of Kwankwaso was null and void.
They accused the other group that suspended Kwankwaso of trying to sabotage the NNPP.
“At the meeting were Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State; the Acting National Chairman, Malam Abah-Kawu Ali; the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly; Engr. Buba Galadima and many others.
“NEC noted that these suspended persons (now expelled) purportedly held a Board of Trustees meeting in Apapa, Lagos, this morning. Naturally, their meeting was null and void and had no effect,” the party’s legal adviser stated.
A reporter with the ICIR
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