The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has publicly distanced itself from former presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, following controversy surrounding his claim that he helped arrange a meeting between Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and some Supreme Court judges in 2019. The party said Kwankwaso’s statement has nothing to do with the NNPP and should not be linked to its name.

In a statement released over the weekend, the NNPP explained that Kwankwaso was not a member of the party in 2019, when the alleged incident reportedly occurred. The party’s National Secretary, Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday, stressed that Kwankwaso only joined the NNPP shortly before the 2023 general elections, alongside other political figures. As a result, the party said he could not have acted on its behalf at the time.

The NNPP also rejected claims that Kwankwaso founded the party, stating clearly that its sole founder is Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam. According to the statement, Kwankwaso later attempted to take control of the party by changing its logo and colours to match his Kwankwasiyya movement without approval from the party’s leadership or Board of Trustees. The party described this action as an attempt to take over its identity.

Reaffirming its position, the NNPP said Kwankwaso was expelled shortly after the 2023 elections for what it described as gross misconduct. The party added that it has a recognised leadership structure and urged institutions, including the Nigerian Bar Association, to stop associating Kwankwaso with the NNPP. It concluded by stating that Kwankwaso should no longer be referred to as a leader or member of the party.