The National Working Committee NWC of the New Nigeria People’s Party NPP has drawn the attention of the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti to the fact that its former presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and members of his Kwankwasiya Group have long been expelled from the party.

Recall that following the judgement delivered penultimate week by an Abia State High Court, which compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to hand over the management of the party to its Board of Trustees BoT, Senator Kwankwaso and some his men had visited Governor Otti, allegedly to protest the judgment where they allegedly claimed to be national executives of the party.

Rising from its meeting in Lagos, Friday last week, the NWC noted with concern the recent visit of Senator Kwankwaso, who it insisted is an expelled former presidential candidate of NNPP to the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti on Saturday 9th November 2024, where they claimed to be national executives of the party, describing such claim as impersonation, invalid and deceitful.

A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, the NNPP headquarters, Abuja, Abdulsalam Abdulrazaq, advised Governor Otti not to allow himself to be dragged into the internal affairs of the NNPP by the expelled self -acclaimed national leader who, he alleged is hell bent on disorganising the party ahead of 2027 general elections.

The statement reads in part: “The National Working Committee NWC notes with concern the recent visit of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, an expelled former presidential candidate of NNPP to the Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Alex Otti on Saturday 9th November 2024 as invalid and deceitful

“The attention of the NWC of the NNPP has equally been drawn to the introduction of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiya Group members that accompanied him to Abia State government house as members of National Executive of the NNPP as an act of irresponsibility and impersonation forthwith.

“We hereby, reiterate that Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was long expelled from our party NNPP together with his Kwankwasiya group members and so those that were introduced alongside with Kwankwaso as NNPP executives are not known to the party.

“We are reliably informed that some of the issues discussed by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso off camera with the Abia state governor was connected with the recent judgement of Abia State High Court which compelled INEC to handover the administration of the party to the Board of Trustees BoT according to the party constitution 2022 as amended.

“We wish to advise governor Otti not to allow himself to be dragged into the internal affairs of the NNPP by the expelled self -acclaimed National leader who is hell bent to disorganise the party ahead of 2027 general election.”

The Publicity Secretary noted the fact that the party’s NWC recognises the fact that Governor Otti is a democrat, who has respect for the rule of law with understanding that the judiciary is an independent organ of government different from the executive.

“Therefore, adhering strictly to the democratic principle of separation of power is very important to urge the governor to disregard whatever Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso could have discussed with him in relation to the recent Abia State High Court judgement.

“The compelling order is a judgment binding on INEC INEC as the agency of the government which, has the mandate to regulate and control political parties and their activities in Nigeria. If Senator Rabiu Musa KWANKWASO is not happy with the judgement, he knows where to go and not the executive arm of the government in disguise. It is worthy to note that the New Nigeria People’s Party was registered in 2002 and senator Rabiu musa KWANKWASO joined in the year 2022. Since his coming, the party has been in crisis orchestrated by him. Investigation has revealed that the expelled Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was constantly orchestrating crisis to make the party unstable to pave way for him to steal the intellectual property of DR. Boniface Aniebonam and by 2024 he wants to hijack the party to become his personal estate.

“We are surprised to note that Senator Rabiu musa KWANKWASO in his opening remarks addressing new Police officers from Abia State had told them to have the fear of God. If Senator Rabiu Musa KWANKWASO has the fear of God, Kano State would have been in peace, he would not have tried to hijack the NNPP and would not have tried to use it as his merchandise.

“Let it be on record that Senator KWANKWASO and his members have been expelled from NNPP and it is only INEC that has the locus to appeal against the compelling judgment of the Abia Court. And for the avoidance doubts and emphasis, INEC is under a compelling order of the court to hand over the administration and management of the party to the BoT of the part led by Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, who is also a life member of the board. Dr aniebonam Boniface Okechukwu is equally the founder of the NNPP in accordance with the Constitution of the party 2022 as amended”. The statement also read.