Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, the founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has dismissed claims of factionalism within the party, asserting his continued leadership in a statement released on Monday in Lagos.

Aniebonam emphasized that he remains the unequivocal founder and father of the NNPP since its inception in 2002, refuting any suggestion of factional divisions. He clarified that any faction within the party emerged with Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso and his followers before Kwankwaso’s expulsion from the NNPP.

Expressing regret over recent developments, Aniebonam recounted his initial intentions to support Kwankwaso and his Kwankwasiya movement in contesting elective positions during the 2023 general elections. However, he lamented the current state of affairs and expressed hope for eventual reconciliation within the NNPP.

Aniebonam affirmed his commitment to upholding the party’s integrity and reiterated his reluctance to lead a faction within a party he founded, nurtured, and financed for over two decades. He emphasized that the resolution of internal crises should prioritize peaceful means, acknowledging that divine intervention ultimately determines leadership outcomes.

Concluding his statement, Aniebonam called on Nigerians to unite under President Tinubu’s leadership, advocating for collective efforts toward realizing the nation’s aspirations for a new era of hope.