Chairman of the Board of Trustees BoT of the New Nigeria People’s Party NNPP, Dr Boniface Aniebonam has said that following the recent declarative judgment of an Abia State High Court, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and members of the former National Working Committee NWC including Buba Galadima are now inconsequential under the current scheme of things in the party.

Recall that the Abia State High Court had last week mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC via a declarative judgment to hand over the party’s management to the BoT. This followed an order of Mandamus suit filed by the BoT asking the State High Court to issue a declaratory order mandating INEC to transfer the party’s management to the BoT, which was expeditiously granted.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos, Tuesday, the BoT chair disclosed that Senator Kwankwaso, Galadima and members of the defunct NWC, mainly made up of members of the Kwankwasiya Group masquerading themselves as the real NNPP are now inconsequential as the party is presently constituted

Aniebonam, who displayed the original certificate of incorporation of the party before newsmen, further noted that the compelling order of the court mandated INEC to exercise its regulatory authority and control of political parties in Nigeria as enshrined in relevant laws.

According to him, the BoT had in reaction to the plethora of court cases involving the party and its members across various states of the federation including Bayelsa, Anambra, Rivers States, among several others, which were slowing down the wheel of progress of the party written the INEC to transfer the party’s management to its BoT, but regretted that INEC refused to invoke its powers under the law, which left them with only one choice of going to court.

Aniebonam, who also took a swipe at Kwankwaso, Galadima and their legal adviser, Mr Ladipo Johnson for questioning the jurisdiction of the Abia State High Court in handling the case, noted that as a legal practitioner, Johnson ought to have known that the Federal High Courts and State High Courts have coordinate jurisdiction on the same matter.

He also dismissed insinuations that Kwankwaso and some members of the NWC are planning to appeal the declaratory judgment, insisting that having been expelled long ago, they lack the locus standi to do that. He also assured that even if INEC, which was joined in the suit and which made representations in the process of the case decides to appeal, the BoT is ready to follow the matter to the Supreme Court, which has the final say on the matter.

“Distinguished media men, the news of the recent Abia State High Court judgment compelling INEC to hand over the NNPP’s management to the BoT and developments thereafter is why we invited you here today. Even more disturbing is the activities of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Kwankwasiya Group’s men such as one Barr. Ladipo Johnson, who have been seen jumping from one media house to other misleading Nigerians on the issue of the landmark judgmentthat was delivered last week.

“First it is important to note that the party is now safely in the hands of its BoT and so characters such as Senator Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima and Barr Johnson, long expelled from the party cannot speak for the NNPP but for their Kwankwasiya Group, which was part of us before the 2023 election but have long exited the party as we have repeatedly explained to the media people in the past.

“We were curious about one week ago when the news of Senator Kwankwaso and Galadima withdrawing their case in Kano State High Court against Dr Aniebonam and other legitimate members of the party broke out. This was a case targeted at rewarding me with embarrassment despite the benevolence extended to them in my country home in Umuawulu in 2022, when they came ask for my permission to use the party’s platform for the 2023 general elections, a request I granted without any financial consideration of commitment, instead, I donated money for operational take-off.

 “It is very simple to understand the level of ill-advice Kwankwaso is receiving from these questionable characters around him, who lack competence in their chosen endeavours. They chose to stay around him to enable them service their stomachs instead of going to practice their trade if they have any.

“Does one need to be a lawyer to know that the Federal and State High Courts are both courts of coordinate jurisdiction, that an extant judgment prevails ahead of any old judgment on the same subject matter? Does it mean that Barr Johnson, who is counsel to Senator Kwankwaso and Buba Galadima cannot differentiate between declarative judgment and executionary order or judgment of the court? As a lawyer, does Barr Johnson not know that until this compelling order is vacated in Appeal or Supreme Court that Kwankwaso, Galadima and the entire officers of the part have been dissolved and sacked?

“Barr Johnson should be told that stay of execution order does not apply on declaratory judgments of a High Court. Barr Johnson needed to be told that a declaratory judgment may not need service, bearing in mind that the subject matter is INEC’s inability to exercise its authority in the administration and management of statutory functions as they relate to the regulation of political parties and their activities”, Aniebonam said.

He however disclosed that a meeting of the party’s BoT has been scheduled to hold November 8, 2024, where certain decisions would be taken in line with the compelling judgment of the court. He also urged all Senators, House of Representatives and State Assembly members elected under the party’s platform, who he described as his children to come to Lagos and take over their party from him.

Describing these part flagbearers as the true face of the party, Aniebonam expressed shock over the decision of Senator Kwankwaso to take to this wrong part, despite having been a two-time governor of Kano State, a Senator and former minister of defence, urging him and Buba Galadima to respect themselves as old and statesmen.