The New Nigeria Peoples Party has told its state officers across the country to start recruiting capable and honest politicians now as the 2027 general election approaches. The party also ordered a fresh membership drive and asked that current registers be updated.
The instruction came in a statement by Boniface Aniebonam, the party founder and chairman of the Board of Trustees, issued in Lagos on Friday.
Mr Aniebonam said every state and local executive must make sure new members have clear records, integrity, and honour. He noted past distractions, and he added this about the party’s recent troubles. “Our time was so taken in the leadership tussle between the NNPP and the Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso led Kwankwasiya Movement.
“The attempts to hijack the NNPP led to litigations that affected our ability to participate in elections held in the past.
“Now that we are almost done with the issues involved, all hands must be on deck to advance the NNPP’s primary objective to enthrone good governance in Nigeria with the fear of God,” Mr Aniebonam said.
He told members who will not follow the party’s values that they are free to join other parties. “We have no grudge against anyone, but rather we appreciate and pray for those who are no longer our members to find favour wherever they may have gone.
“As mortals and in line with God’s wisdom, we must forgive our former members in spite of their betrayals that led to their expulsion.
“Those of you who are worried about their distractions and negative intentions should not be, because we are children of God. Victory shall be ours, and it’s our hope and belief that everything shall be alright shortly,” the statement added.
As founder of the party, Mr Aniebonam said he has moved past the betrayals and holds no grudge against Senator Kwankwaso or Buba Galadima. He said the party only asked the Kwankwasiya group to stop using the NNPP name and logo in talks. “The NNPP logo is a basket of fruits with green and white colour, and not red colour and a book; the latter is the Kwankwasiya Movement logo.
He said the Kwankwasiya group can choose to join any registered party in Nigeria or try to revive their Nigeria Alliance Party if they wish.
Mr Aniebonam also said he registered the NNPP in 2001, that Mr Kwankwaso joined in 2022 under the Kwankwasiya banner, and that the two sides signed a limited Memorandum of Understanding for the 2023 election which ended after that vote.
Leave a comment