By Sandra Chukwunyere
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recognised the leadership led by Dr. Boniface Aniebonam following a court judgment, a development the party said has effectively stripped the Kwankwaso group of control over its structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to a statement signed by the Head of Strategy and Planning, NNPP Headquarters Annex, Lagos, Dr. Clement Iwegbuna, the development has left many aspirants who paid nomination fees to the Kwankwaso group confused and uncertain about their political future.
The statement alleged that several aspirants later discovered they had been dealing with individuals who no longer had the authority to act on behalf of the party. It added that repeated attempts to reach officials at the group’s Abuja office for clarification were unsuccessful.
According to the statement, some of the affected aspirants visited INEC to verify the situation and were informed that the Kwankwaso-led group had been replaced in compliance with a court judgment.
The statement further claimed that INEC updated its records by replacing the names of Dr. Ahmed Ajuji and Mr. Dipo Olayoku with those of Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, Major Agbo Gilbert and Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday.
It also alleged that the electoral commission had recognised the Aniebonam-led leadership as the body with the mandate to field candidates for the 2027 general elections.
According to the statement, INEC is also expected to restore the party’s original logo, featuring a basket of fruits on the map of Nigeria, to replace the logo currently associated with the Kwankwaso group.
The statement claimed that some of the affected aspirants now believe they were misled, adding that complaints over the collection of nomination fees could attract the attention of law enforcement agencies.
It further stated that members of the Kwankwaso group remain hopeful that the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court would overturn the current situation.
The NNPP maintained that the party was founded in 2001 and alleged that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Alhaji Buba Galadima and their supporters joined the party in 2022 ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The party called on affected aspirants, as well as other interested Nigerians seeking to contest the 2027 general elections, to register through the NNPP online registration portal and present themselves for screening.
