The National Executive Committee of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has expelled Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, who was suspended by the party’s leadership during the National Convention on August 29, faced allegations of gross anti-party activities and mismanagement of party and campaign funds.
The NNPP’s National Executive Council (NEC) established a Disciplinary Committee and extended an invitation to Kwankwaso to defend himself against these allegations within five days.
The NEC had also warned that failure to appear before the Disciplinary Committee would result in Kwankwaso’s expulsion from the party, in accordance with the party’s constitution for 2022 (as amended).
Consequently, Mr. Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, announced in a statement on Tuesday, September 5, that the NEC had expelled Kwankwaso from the party with immediate effect due to his refusal to attend the committee’s hearings.
Abdulrasaq said: “The NEC met in an emergency session on Friday, September 1 and resolved as follows:
“Following the refusal of Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to appear before the disciplinary committee which sat on Thursday, August 31 after being duly invited in writing, he is hereby expelled from NNPP with immediate effect.
“That the erstwhile presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso will be reported to appropriate quarters to answer questions on financial impropriety relating to mismanagement of public funds.”
This expulsion comes amid a crisis within the NNPP, which began when the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), loyal to Kwankwaso, announced the suspension of the NNPP founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Agbo Major, on August 24.
KanyiDaily recalls that Rabiu Kwankwaso had agreed to join Tinubu’s government, pending consultations with stakeholders on both sides, the NNPP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
