The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), in Kwara State has clarified that it has not collapsed its structures with the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
The party said it will field candidates and participate in the forthcoming council election in the state.
The NNPP chairman in Kwara, AbdulRazaq AbdulSalam, made the declaration in an interview with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital yesterday.
He said whatever that have transpired between the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Prof Shuaib AbdulRaheem and the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq after the March 18, 2023 governorship election” is personal and does not represent the position of the NNPP as a party”.
AbdulSalam who was recently named the national chairman of All NNPP state chairmen in Nigeria , said contrary to reports making the rounds in some sections of the media, the NNPP has not negotiated for anything from the APC led government of Governor AbdulRazaq.
“What he was doing, I think he was doing it personally as Professor Oba Abu and not on behalf of the NNPP because even by the virtue of the fact that he has lost an election he has not been able to sit down with the party for once and have a meeting on how the party will move forward.”
think he has made up his mind to leave the party and that’s why he has extended his hands of fellowship to the governor.
“We have also congratulated the governor over his victory in the last election but we are not collapsing our party for anything. NNPP today is a national party. NNPP has a national orientation and is still going to contest other elections in Kwara.
“We hope that this government conducts local government elections. We are still on the ground, the structures are still there for us to continue to work as a party. Even if there is going to be any collaboration it will be between the party and the state government.
“So I think the relationship here is between Professor Oba Abu and Governor AbdulRazaq as friends. It is not a relationship between the NNPP, Kwara and the APC or the government of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. So, I think he has his liberty as an individual to do what he wants but not as a party, he doesn’t have the jurisdiction to discuss on behalf of the party or negotiate anything on behalf of NNPP in Kwara. He was a candidate like any other candidate. It will interest you to know that NNPP produced 24 house of assembly candidates, three senatorial candidates, six house of reps candidates, plus including the governor, so when he does that, he is a lone ranger,” AbdulSalam stated.
