Following the Abia State High Court ruling compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hand over New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) management to its Board of Trustees (BoT), the founder of the party, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam displayed the party’s certificate to dispel rumours of it being in the hands of some other people.
He declared that the party is now safely in the hands of its BOT and so, characters like Senator Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima, Ladipo Jonhson, long expelled from the party before the judgement, cannot speak for NNPP but for their Kwankwassiya group which was part of the party before the 2023 elections but have long exited after the election as repeatedly explained to the media in the past.
Addressing a world press conference at the NAGAFF Headquarters/NNPP Annex Secretariat in Apapa, Lagos on Tuesday, the founder described as worrisome the activities of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Kwankwassiya group’s men such as one Barr Ladipo Johnson who have been jumping from one media house to the other misleading Nigerians on the issue since the groundbreaking judgement was delivered last week.
Aniebonam expressed curiosity about the development a week ago when the news of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Buba Galadima withdrawing their case in Kano State High court against him and other legitimate members of the party broke out.
He noted that the case was targeted at rewarding him with embarrassment despite the level of benevolence extended to them in his country home in Umuawulu, Anambra State in 2022 when they came to ask for his assistance to use the party platform for the 2023 general elections, a request he granted without any financial consideration or commitment on the side of his guests but instead, he donated money for operational take-off.
Aniebonam bemoaned the level of ill-advice Kwankwaso has been getting from questionable characters around him who lack competence in their chosen endeavours. “They choose to stay around the man to enable them service their stomachs instead of going to practice their trade if they have any,” he said.
Explaining some salient facts about law, the founder stated that a Federal high court and a State high court are both courts of coordinate jurisdiction even as an extant judgement prevails ahead of any old judgement on the same subject matter.
He further explained that no matter how fraudulent a judgement might be (as presently alleged by Barr. Ladipo Jonhson), one needed to vacate such order/judgement directly or through an appellate court.
He wondered if Barr Ladipo Johnson representing Senator Kwankwaso and Buba Galadima cannot differentiate between a declaratory judgement and an executionary order or judgement of court.
“As a lawyer, does it mean that Barr. Ladipo Johnson does not know that except this compelling order is vacated in appeal court and or Supreme Court that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima and the entire officers of the party have been dissolved and sacked?
“Barr. Ladipo Johnson should be told that stay of execution order does not apply on declaratory judgements of a high court.
“Barr. Ladipo Johnson needs to be told that a declaratory judgement may not need service noting that the subject matter is INEC’s inability to exercise its authority in the administration and management of statutory functions as it relates to regulation of political parties and their activities. Indeed the compelling order is for INEC to exercise its authority of regulation and control of political parties in Nigeria under the law.
“Therefore, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima and the entire defunct and puppet NWC members of the Kwankwassiya group masquerading as NNPP are inconsequential under the present circumstances and the law,” Aniebonam highlighted.
He reminded Barr. Ladipo Johnson that INEC was in court to defend itself before the ruling and judgement was pronounced.
“It is therefore trite to note that under the circumstances the actions of Barr. Ladipo Johnson. representing Senator Kwankwaso and Buba Galadima amounts to contempt of court. We will therefore approach the court to draw their attention to this as soon as possible,” he said.
The founder sincerely advised that instead of all these noise in the air space, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Buba Galadima should approach the appeal court and seek for intervention, if he has the locus.
He threw the following pertinent questions to Kwankwaso and Galadima;
“Are they appealing against the judgement delivered by a competent court or what? If yes, then why calling the integrity of a competent court of law to question?
“Are they appealing that the NNPP belong to them or what or that the certificate of registration of NNPP is with them or what?
“It is most unfortunate that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a former Minister of Defence, two times governor of Kano state and indeed a supposed wise man of the national assembly could degenerate to this level.
“It is indeed very shameful noting that Kano state as it is now has ceased to be a model to be looked upon in modern day administration and good governance. This was never the expectation of our great party in return for the whelming support the good people of the state gave us.
“It is our belief that thereafter, twenty four hours of this compelling order INEC should by now invite the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party in accordance with the orders of the court to amend their records,” he stated.
Aniebonam announced that the Board shall be meeting on the 8th of Nov 2024 to take specific decisions in accordance with the compelling order/judgement of the court.
Appealing to all members of the party to remain calm and law abiding in the face of extreme provocations of the Kwankwassiya agents led by Barr. Ladipo, he assured that as children of God, victory is sure for the party.
Aniebonam enjoined all the elected senators, honourable members of Federal House of Representatives and State Assembly under the canopy of the party
to come to Lagos and take their party, saying that they are the pride and face of NNPP.