The Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, says the party will contest the Ondo State and Edo governorship elections billed for later in the year.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had scheduled the off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo state for Sept.. 22 and Nov. 16 respectively.
INEC on March 31, released the list of the 17 political parties and their candidates for the Edo governorship election which was inclusive of the NNPP and its candidate.
Similarly in Ondo state, INEC on March 30, announced that 19 political parties including the NNPP have indicated interests contest in the governorship election.
Aniebonam in a statement in Lagos on Thursday, regarding the internal wranglings in the NNPP and its effect on the upcoming polls, said that the party would overcome the crisis.
The founder and former chairman of the NNPP Board of Trustees, blamed some leaders of the party for the crisis rocking it.
“NNPP has never stayed away from active participation in elections nationwide, which is why we were not deregistered by INEC since 2001 that I founded and registered the party.
“Some of the people who think they can muscle in and take over a party that took us many years to build are day dreaming.
“NNPP despite any issues they may be having regarding candidacy will be part of the elections in Edo and Ondo state. No litigation can stop it.”
On the purported national convention of the party that held in Abuja on April 6, Aniebonam said it was null and void.
“That convention was held in violation of a lawsuit at the Federal High Court Abuja, that tried to halt the convention.
“It is sad that our 2023 presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Kwanwkwaso actively participated in the convention.
“Most of those self acclaimed leaders of NNPP at the convention were already expelled from the party for anti party activities.
“These are the same group creating problems for the NNPP in Kano state in the purported suspension of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman from his ward.
“The APC have come out to say that the purported suspension was not by its members but by NNPP members in Kano state but I say today that those people are not card carrying members of the NNPP.
“The real leadership of the NNPP is not interested in inter party wranglings and manipulations. Our mission is to grow the NNPP and not to remove a chairman of another political party. That is dirty politics in my estimation,” Aniebonam said.
He, however, assured that all issues in the party would be resolved but urged those bent on destroying the party to have a rethink as it would also affect their chances in future elections.
