The Kano State chapter of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has formally demanded the return of official vehicles from several of its former local government chairmen who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party alleges the vehicles, originally donated for official party activities, are being improperly retained by the former officials.
The directive was announced by the NNPP’s Kano State Publicity Secretary, Engr. Ibrahim Karaye, during a press briefing. He stated the vehicles were allocated to the party’s former chairpersons specifically to facilitate coordination and operational duties across local government areas, not as personal entitlements.
“These vehicles were given to support party activities and improve coordination within the local government areas,” Karaye said. He characterised the former chairmen’s continued possession of the assets as a “violation of trust,” emphasising that the donation was made to the NNPP as an organisational entity. “The Senator donated the vehicles to the party, not to individuals,” he added, clarifying the original intent behind the allocation.
Karaye warned that the affected individuals are expected to return the vehicles “without delay.” He further indicated the party’s readiness to escalate the matter, stating, “The party would not hesitate to pursue legal action if the directive is ignored.”
The demand follows a wave of defections from the NNPP to the APC in Kano, a politically significant state. While the original announcement did not specify a timeline or the exact number of vehicles, the dispute highlights a common post-defection issue regarding the reversion of party assets. Such recoveries are often pursued to replenish party resources and set a precedent against the personal use of organisational property by departing officials.
The development underscores the bitter nature of political realignments in the state. The NNPP, which made significant inroads in Kano during the 2023 elections, is now asserting control over its assets as key figures switch allegiance to the APC. The threatened legal action represents a firm stance by the NNPP to reclaim what it considers its property, potentially signalling more rigorous enforcement of asset protocols within Nigerian political parties. The former chairmen have yet to publicly respond to the demand.
