The crisis rocking the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) took a new dimension as a group disassociated itself from the Kano protest, urging security agencies to target the group loyal to the presidential candidate of the party in the last election Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
But the NNPP loyal to Kwankwaso fired back, stating that the Dr Major Agbo led group cannot speak on anything that pertains to the party because they have been expelled from the party.
In the wake of recent unrest in Kano State over the court of appeal judgement, the Major Agbo-led group has urged security agencies to pursue the NNPP led by Kwankwaso.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday, Major asserted that violence and killing are not part of the NNPP manifesto, urging Kano residents to pursue peace.
Major clarified that Dipo Johnson, Kwankwaso’s spokesperson and presidential candidate, is not a registered NNPP member and has been hired to incite protests.
“We invite security agencies to investigate Dipo Johnson and his cohorts, clarifying that they do not represent NNPP.
He said it distances itself from the incitement of masses and attacks on the judiciary, calling for a thorough investigation.
“We attribute our party’s misfortunes to Kwankwaso’s high-handed approach, leading to non-compliance with our party’s constitution and electoral laws, prompting our withdrawal from the MOU and ensuing legal action.
“Our party denounces the deliberate mischief of expelled members presenting themselves as protest leaders, specifically Dipo Johnson, Kawu Ali, and Onu.”
Countering Major’s claims, the NNPP said hired expelled members of their party staged a press conference to disparage Abba Kabir Yusuf and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
A statement issued by Ladipo Johnson on behalf of the NNPP National Working Committee under the leadership of acting national chairman, Hon Abba Kawu Ali, said “it has come to their notice that certain expelled members of the NNPP which include Tope Aluko and some ex state chairmen, who are sponsored elements, are conducting a press conference in Jabi, Abuja to falsely state as a form of propaganda, that H.E. Abba Kabir Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP as at the time of the election and that His Excellency, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was dismissed from the party.
“These allegations are totally false and inaccurate. We state that the Kano State Governor was a bona fide member of the NNPP at all material times and that we have confidence in the Supreme Court of Nigeria that justice will be done. These hired/paid hands who seem to be lackeys in the hands of the APC national chairman, Ganduje, seem to have “sold their souls” and will do anything for pecuniary gains at the expense of the Nigerian electorate.
“We remind the general populace that Chief Boniface Aniebonam, one of the founders of the NNPP, recently spoke out in favor of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and asked that his election be upheld. Therefore it is a mystery that some of his loyalists would stoop so low as to become hired hands to misinform Nigerians.
“We urge that Nigerians ignore the false statements by these enemies of the Nigerian electorate,” the group added.
