The National Working Committee of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has issued a formal clarification regarding recent media reports suggesting the party congratulated Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on his birthday and praised his leadership qualities.
The party, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Dr. Major Agbo Gilbert, stated that
NNPP did not release any official statement congratulating Senator Kwankwaso, its former presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
According to him, the unauthorized message circulating in the media, allegedly signed by Ladipo Johnson, did not originate from the NNPP headquarters as Mr. Johnson is no longer a member of the party.
The statement listed Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima, Dr. Ahmed Ajuji, and Barrister Ladipo Johnson as members expelled from NNPP through internal democratic processes.
The statement added that their expulsions have been upheld by judgments from both the Abia State High Court and the FCT High Court.
It clarified that the only birthday message came from Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, NNPP’s founder and BOT Chairman, based on his personal relationship with Kwankwaso, and was not an official party communication.
The National Chairman emphasized that since his expulsion on August 28, 2023, for gross anti-party activities, Mr. Johnson has no authority to speak on behalf of NNPP.
6. No Leadership Qualities to Celebrate:
According to the statement, Kwankwaso’s one-year involvement in the party did not demonstrate leadership qualities worthy of commendation, and therefore NNPP would not have issued any statement praising him.
NNPP urged media outlets to verify facts with the party before publishing reports, in the interest of promoting true democracy.