The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has responded to comments made by its former 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, over his exit from the party and claims that external forces influenced his departure.
Kwankwaso, in a recent statement addressing what he called misinformation about his political movements and discussions around the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said his exit from the NNPP was due to what he described as externally driven legal challenges that made his continued stay in the party difficult.
He also drew comparisons between his experience in the NNPP and what he suggested were emerging internal disputes within the ADC, noting that similar issues had previously affected his political alignment.
However, the founder of the NNPP, Boniface Aniebonam, dismissed Kwankwaso’s claims, insisting that the former presidential candidate’s departure was not caused by external interference but by internal disagreements over control of the party structure.
Aniebonam alleged that Kwankwaso’s exit, alongside some associates, followed attempts to take control of the party, which he said led to prolonged legal disputes and eventual expulsion confirmed by court rulings.
He further accused Kwankwaso of repeatedly blaming external forces for internal political conflicts, adding that such patterns had also contributed to divisions within the party and its affiliated movements.
According to him, the NNPP had an agreement with the Kwankwasiyya Movement during the 2023 elections, which allowed Kwankwaso to contest under its platform, but tensions later emerged over party management and direction.
He also referenced the party’s performance in the 2023 general elections, noting that while Kwankwaso finished fourth in the presidential race, the party secured victories in Kano State, which he said were later followed by internal setbacks and defections.
Aniebonam further accused Kwankwaso of altering party symbols and structures without proper approval, describing the actions as violations of the party’s constitution.
The NNPP founder maintained that the disputes were internally driven and not the result of external manipulation, urging Kwankwaso to move on from the party’s internal matters.
