NNPP Crisis Explodes: Aniebonam Reveals How Kwankwaso Allegedly Tried To Take Over Party

The founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Boniface Aniebonam, has dismissed claims by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, that his exit from the party was due to externally driven legal challenges.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement issued on Sunday, May 3, Aniebonam argued that Kwankwaso’s departure was instead the result of his alleged attempt to take control of a party he did not establish.

His response followed remarks by Kwankwaso, who had compared the internal crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the circumstances surrounding his exit from the NNPP. Kwankwaso had also rejected what he described as misleading narratives about his political moves, insisting that discussions about possible realignments were premature.

He maintained that his departure from the NNPP was triggered by legal disputes influenced by external forces, which he said made his continued stay in the party untenable.

“We left the NNPP due to externally influenced legal problems that made our stay difficult. The ADC is now facing a similar situation,” Kwankwaso stated.

However, Aniebonam rejected this explanation, insisting that the crisis was self-inflicted.

“The exit of Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima, Ahmed Ajuji and others was not caused by external forces but by Kwankwaso’s determined effort to take over the NNPP,” he said.

According to Aniebonam, Kwankwaso has a tendency to attribute problems of his own making to outside influence.

He further linked the issue to the defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), suggesting that similar actions within the Kwankwasiyya bloc led to political setbacks.

“It was this same approach that contributed to the defection of Governor Abba Yusuf to the APC. The expulsion of Kwankwaso and Galadima from the NNPP was upheld by the courts,” he added, accusing Kwankwaso of betraying the trust of those who gave him a platform to contest the 2023 election.

Aniebonam also revealed that the NNPP had earlier cautioned the ADC about the possibility of facing similar internal challenges, warning that Kwankwaso could repeat the same pattern in any party he joins.

“We advised the ADC. Kwankwaso may exhibit the same behaviour elsewhere. He should move on instead of blaming perceived opponents,” he said.

He insisted that attempts by Kwankwaso and his allies to take control of the party were what triggered the legal disputes, making claims of external interference unfounded.

Aniebonam also referenced a Memorandum of Association between the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement ahead of the 2023 elections, which allowed Kwankwaso and his supporters to contest under the party’s platform without financial obligations.

He noted that Kwankwaso placed fourth in the 2023 presidential election, behind Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi.

Although members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement secured key positions in Kano State under the NNPP, Aniebonam argued that the success was poorly managed.

He further accused Kwankwaso of actions that allegedly led to mass defections from the NNPP to the APC, as well as making unauthorized changes to the party’s identity and internal structure.

“The most serious misconduct was the alleged alteration of the party’s logo, colours, and constitution without the approval of its founders. Was that also influenced externally?” he questioned.

The dispute has once again highlighted the ongoing crisis within the NNPP and reflects broader tensions and realignments among opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.