A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has dismissed the purported suspension of the party’s Presidential Candidate in the February 2023 Presidential election, Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, saying it is a huge joke, according to him Kwankwaso remains a formidable leader of the party.
Ajadi who was the Governorship Candidate of NNPP in the March 2023 Governorship election in Ogun State said any purported suspension of Kwankwaso is null and void.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ajadi said the party at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, accused the BoT Chairman, Dr Boniface Aniebonam and the National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major and Others of anti-party activities and expelled them from the party.
He said Aniebonam particularly, was accused of creating a parallel group within the party with a view to causing disaffection in the NNPP.
“Following the National Working Committee (NWC) dissolution of seven state executive committees as well as suspension of the founder and Chairman of Board of Trustees, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Agbo Major, the NEC ratified their expulsion from the party.
“Therefore the meeting which had in attendance the Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, and the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Jibrin Falgore in attendance which held at Bolingo Hotel, Abuja expelled Boniface, Major and their cohorts from the NNPP”.
It would be recalled that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the NNPP had announced the suspension of Kwankwaso for six months for alleged anti-party activities at a press conference in Lagos, Tuesday.
The BoT also said it suspended the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party and appointed new national officers headed by Dr Agbo Major as acting National Chairman and Ogini Olaposi as acting National Secretary with 18 others.
But Ajadi said suspension of Kwankwaso is null and void as according to him those who carried out the act were earlier under suspension and on Tuesday were expelled by the party’s National Executive Committee of the party making their action illegal, null and void .
Ajadi said the National Working Committee of NNPP had last Thursday announced the suspension of Dr Boniface Aniebonam and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major.
“The party said the duo of Aniebonam and Major were suspended pending the determination of investigations by the Disciplinary Committee at the national level of the party.
“The Acting National Chairman of the party, Mallam Abba Kawu Alli said Aniebonam and Agbo are suspended for anti-party activities.
“Alli said the suspended cohorts have under Article 391 (7), been involved in anti-party activities and conduct which may likely have an adverse effect on the party or bring hatred, contempt, disrespect or ridicule to the party, Ajadi said in the statement.