The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has alleged plot by some expelled members of the party to discredit its national leader and presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The party, in a statement by Ladipo Johnson, on behalf of the NNPP National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of Acting National Chairman, Abba Kawu Ali, yesterday stated: “It has come to our notice that certain expelled members of the NNPP, which include Tope Aluko and some ex-state chairmen, who are sponsored elements, are conducting a press conference in Jabi, Abuja to falsely state as a form of propaganda, that H.E. Abba Kabir Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP as at the time of the election and that His Excellency, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is dismissed from the party.
“These allegations are totally false and inaccurate. We state that the Kano State Governor was a bona fide member of the NNPP at all material times and that we have confidence in the Supreme Court of Nigeria that justice will be done. These hired/paid hands who seem to be lackeys in the hands of the APC national chairman, Ganduje, seem to have “sold their souls” and will do anything for pecuniary gains at the expense of the Nigerian electorate.
“We remind the general populace that Chief Boniface Aniebonam, one of the founders of the NNPP, recently spoke out in favor of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and asked that his election be upheld. Therefore, it is a mystery that some of his loyalists would stoop so low as to become hired hands to misinform Nigerians.
“In conclusion we urge that Nigerians ignore the false statements by these enemies of the Nigerian electorate.”
Controversy has trailed the Appeal Court ruling that sacked Governor Yusuf. The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the appellate court judgment on the state governorship election released four days after the judgment had been delivered contradicted what was read at the Court of Appeal Court. The governor, who was earlier sacked by the state governorship election petition tribunal was the appellant at the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, the NNPP and Governor Yusuf have since filed an appeal at the Supreme Court and are optimistic they would win.