The crisis in New Nigeria People’s Party has taken a new twist as a faction loyal to the Presidential candidate of the party Rabiu Kwankwaso has reversed his suspension and expelled the new acting National Chairman of the party, Major Agbo and some notable members involved in the NNPP flag bearer’s sanction.
During a NEC meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, new national officers were appointed, including Agbo as acting National Secretary and Ogini Olaposi, along with 18 others. This decision was made along with the decision to sanction Kwankwaso.
Prior to the NEC session, Agbo and Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, founder of the party, were allegedly suspended since August 24. However, Aniebonam and Agbo opposed the decision, stating that the presidential candidate of the party should be punished instead for alleged suspicious activities.
The National Auditor of the party, Ladipo Johnson, objected to Kwankwaso’s suspension, calling it an illegitimate move. Johnson went on to state that he was the chairman of the disciplinary committee that expelled Agbo and his supporters at the NEC meeting in Abuja, and that there was no division within the party as rumored.
He said, “It is a fake news. Do you hold NEC meetings in the Apapa area of Lagos? Of course, it is not the proper thing to do. We held NEC in Abuja today.
“The Agbo you talked about has been expelled along with some other people. He was the one doing all this nonsense and that’s because you know him as national publicity secretary. Who made him acting chairman? Ask yourself, is that how one becomes a chairman?
“I don’t like your use of the word ‘faction.’ Is that how one creates a faction? If you come to NNPP headquarters, you will see us there.
“You will also see that Agbo’s office has been locked for over a week. And he didn’t even go to any court to say what we did was wrong. They are the judges themselves and they are the ones you should be calling a faction. That’s because they were suspended and eventually expelled from the party. Let me send you a statement on the NEC we just held.”
The statement, made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday evening, confirmed that a NEC meeting actually took place in Abija where a decision on the purported expulsion of Agbo, a new party logo and constitutional amendments were taken.
It partly read, “At the National Executive Committee meeting of the NNPP held in Abuja today August 29, 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 the 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. Naturally, their meeting was null and void and to no effect.”
