The National Vice Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), North-West, Alhaji Sani Danmasani, has said the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is not the leader of the NNPP either in Kano State or at the national level.
Danmasani made the clarification in a statement issued on Monday, following what he described as persistent misrepresentation of the party’s leadership structure by sections of the media.
He explained that the recent exit of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the NNPP did not signify the return of Kwankwaso or members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement to the party, noting that Kwankwaso and some of his associates had been expelled long ago.
According to him, although Governor Yusuf was formerly one of the party’s national leaders, the NNPP’s leadership remains firmly in place.
“Our leader is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, alongside the National Working Committee led by Dr Agbo Major,” he said.
Danmasani described it as surprising that many media outlets still refer to Kwankwaso as the leader of the NNPP, a party he accused the former Kano governor of betraying and attempting to hijack despite his expulsion.
He added that the party has documentary evidence confirming the expulsion of Kwankwaso, Dr Ahmed Ajuji, and Elder Buba Galadima through internal disciplinary processes.
He further stated that both the Abia State High Court and the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja had legally upheld their expulsion.
Danmasani disclosed that a court in Abuja also issued an enrolment order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from dealing with Kwankwaso and the Ajuji-led faction of the party’s National Working Committee, pending the outcome of a judicial review.
He explained that any appearance of their names on INEC’s server was an administrative issue, which would be corrected once the commission concludes its internal procedures and the judicial review process.
He stressed that INEC, as a regulatory body, does not determine party membership or leadership, noting that court orders must be obeyed unless overturned by a higher court.
Danmasani said the clarification was necessary to prevent confusion among political parties amid ongoing negotiations and realignments.
He encouraged politicians with integrity to join the NNPP, assuring that internal issues within the party would be resolved soon.
Kwankwaso Not Leader of NNPP in Kano, Nationwide – Party Vice Chairman
