The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has strongly criticised the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, for alleging that the President Bola Tinubu-led government was behind the party’s ongoing crisis.
In a statement on Wednesday, the NNPP factional national secretary, Oginni Olaposi, dismissed El-Rufai’s claims as baseless, insisting that the former governor lacked a proper understanding of the internal issues that led to the party’s division.
LEADERSHIP reports that the controversy stemmed from a viral video in which El-Rufai was seen addressing leaders of his new party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he was accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government of deliberately fueling crises within opposition parties, including the NNPP. He specifically described the expulsion of the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as a “contrived” move to destabilise the party.
But, the factional NNPP official asked El-Rufai, who recently resigned from the APC and joined the SDP, to retract his comments or face legal consequences.
Reacting to the former governor’s remarks, Olaposi demanded that he tendered an unreserved apology to the party’s national leadership and its founder, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, within 48 hours.
“To make the record straight and to educate Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on the genesis and revelations of the crisis that led to the expulsion of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the subsequent suspension of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State,” the statement read. “We shall ask Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to ask his friend (Kwankwaso) to answer the following questions before the allegations of interference or sponsorship by the federal government can be substantiated.”
The party listed key issues surrounding Kwankwaso’s expulsion, questioning whether the federal government was responsible for his actions within the NNPP.
“Was it the federal government that asked Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to go to Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam in February 2022 to prostrate and beg for NNPP’s platform in the company of Buba Galadima, Senator Hunkuyi, and others?
“Was it the federal government that asked Kwankwaso to insult the founder of NNPP, Dr. Aniebonam?
“Was it the federal government that asked Kwankwaso to file a lawsuit against the NNPP leadership at the Kano State High Court over his expulsion?
“Was it the federal government that stopped Kwankwaso and Governor Abba Yusuf from appearing before the party’s disciplinary committee for an internal resolution of the crisis?”
The party challenged El-Rufai to call Kwankwaso and get answers before making accusations against the federal government.
“We hereby challenge Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to please call his friend and co-traveller on horse riding to answer the aforementioned questions,” Olaposi added.
The NNPP faction issued an ultimatum, giving El-Rufai 48 hours to publicly apologise for his “reckless statement” or face legal action for defamation.
“Consequently, we are calling on Mallam El-Rufai to publicly tender an unreserved apology to the founder of the NNPP, Dr. Aniebonam, and the party leadership for his unfortunate allegation of sponsorship by the federal government.
“We are giving Mallam Nasir El-Rufai the next 48 hours to tender his apology for his reckless statement or face prosecution for a defamatory statement against the innocent leaders of the NNPP.”
Following the 2023 general elections, the NNPP has been embroiled in an internal leadership battle, splitting into two factions.
Recall that in September 2023, a faction led by Agbo Major suspended and later expelled Kwankwaso over allegations of anti-party activities and mismanagement of party funds. However, another faction, consisting of Kwankwaso’s loyalists, later reversed the expulsion.
