Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has said that Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State did not resign from the party but from the Kwankwasiya Movement, led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Aniebonam made the clarification on Saturday in a swift reaction to the governor’s reported resignation from the NNPP, which was widely circulated in the media.
In a statement, he argued that the resignation letter from the governor was not addressed to the authentic NNPP National Working Committee (NWC) led by Dr. Major Agbo, nor to the state chairman or ward secretary, but to a member of the Kwankwasiya Movement in Diso-Chiranchi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State.
“The NNPP NWC does not recognise the Kwankwasiya Movement ward chairman as chairman of the party,” Aniebonam said.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Kano State governor was reported to have resigned from the NNPP, alongside 21 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and 44 local government chairmen in the state.
The resignation was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa.
Yusuf, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward of the NNPP in Gwale Local Government Area, formally communicated his decision to leave the party with effect from Friday, January 23.
“I write with a deep sense of gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party of my decision to resign my membership of the party, with effect from Friday, 23rd January 2026,” the governor stated.
Aniebonam, however, maintained that the resignation of Yusuf and other political officeholders is not recognised by him as NNPP leader, founder, and Chairman of its Board of Trustees.
“The NNPP lifted the governor’s suspension from its membership and directed that he take responsibility for its leadership, being the highest elected officer of the party.
“You will recall that the Abia State High Court and the Federal Capital Territory High Court judgments directed INEC to recognise and hand over NNPP administration to the Aniebonam-led Board of Trustees.
“The FCT High Court also issued an enrolment order restraining INEC from dealing with or transacting any business with the Kwankwasiya Movement.
“The NNPP is a registered political party, whereas the Kwankwasiya Movement was a pressure group within the party. Its Memorandum of Association was terminated, and the entire defunct NWC, led by Dr. Ahmed Ajuji, was expelled for anti-party activities after the 2023 presidential elections.
“Yusuf and others in the legislative arm of Kano State won elections under the platform of the NNPP, using the party logo of the Basket of Fruits and not the Kwankwasiya insignia of a book and red colour.”
Aniebonam described the delay by INEC in updating its records and uploading Dr. Agbo Major and Mr. Oginni Olaposi-led NWC as mere administrative lapses.
“This has nothing to do with court judgments, which must be obeyed. Accordingly, the ongoing judicial review at the FCT High Court is to compel INEC to update its records.
“The reasons for Yusuf’s resignation are noted, but what is certain is that the NNPP has no issues with the governor and the personal decisions he wishes to make.
“We blame the trend of members in Kano wanting to opt out on the high-handedness of Kwankwaso, which is highly regretted.”
Aniebonam urged members in Kano State and nationwide to remain calm and committed, as the party looks forward to more victories in the 2027 elections.
(NAN)
