The National Vice Chairman (Northwest) of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Sani Danmasani, has affirmed that Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State is the party’s leader, dismissing claims that former presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso holds that position.
Danmasani, in a statement released on Tuesday, said the party’s constitution recognises the Kano State governor as NNPP leader, being the only governor from the party. He explained that Kwankwaso’s role as the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate ended after the election with the expiration of the Memorandum of Association between the party and the Kwankwasiya Movement.
The NNPP chieftain noted that some members of the Kwankwasiya movement, including Kwankwaso, were later expelled from the party for anti-party activities. He expressed concern over media references to Kwankwaso as NNPP leader, warning that such reports have led to invalid negotiations for political alliances using the party’s name.
Danmasani said, “Negotiations for 2027 alliances with Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiya movement are okay, but will be invalid if done purportedly on the NNPP platform. Only Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, founder and life member of the Board of Trustees, and the National Executive Committee led by Dr. Agbo Gilbert, can negotiate for the NNPP. Any other negotiations outside this are null and void.”
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He added that Kwankwaso and his group are free to join another party or form a new one but cannot act as representatives of the NNPP.
Danmasani also appealed to Kwankwaso to stop using the NNPP name to make claims against the ruling party or the Presidency, noting that President Bola Tinubu should not be blamed for the nation’s insecurity or economic challenges.
He urged the media to correctly refer to Kwankwaso as a former senator, former governor of Kano State, and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate, rather than the party’s leader. Danmasani expressed hope that an ongoing judicial review will compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to update its records accordingly.