The lawmaker representing Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Kabiru Rurum, has publicly distanced himself from the faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) led by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, aligning instead with the party’s founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam. Rurum, a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, emphasized his support for Aniebonam’s leadership and dismissed Kwankwaso’s faction, marking a symbolic divide within the party.

In his statement on Sunday, Rurum endorsed Dr. Aniebonam’s NNPP, identified by a fruit logo, as the genuine representation of the party, in contrast to Kwankwaso’s group, which operates under a book logo. The lawmaker also urged Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to assert his authority independently, cautioning against following Kwankwaso’s directives. “My loyalty remains with Governor Yusuf,” Rurum asserted, expressing confidence in the governor’s ability to govern autonomously and fulfill the needs of Kano residents.

Addressing speculations about a potential defection, Rurum affirmed his commitment to the NNPP under Aniebonam’s leadership. He criticized Kwankwaso for allegedly manipulating the party to serve personal interests, noting, “Dr. Boniface provided Kwankwaso with a platform, and it is wrong to take the party from him and treat him poorly.”

Rurum’s announcement comes amid rising dissent within the Kwankwasiyya movement, with the member representing Dala Federal Constituency similarly renouncing Kwankwaso’s influence and advising supporters to abandon the movement’s red cap symbol.

This internal party conflict follows a recent High Court ruling by Justice C.U. Okoroafor of the Uzuakoli Division in Abia State. On November 1, 2024, the court ordered that control of the NNPP be restored to its Board of Trustees, chaired by Dr. Aniebonam, further deepening the leadership rift within the party.