NNPP Rejects Claims of APC Involvement in Internal Legal Battles
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has denied allegations that President Bola Tinubu and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) are funding the party’s ongoing litigation. The rebuttal follows claims by a faction led by former presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso that the APC is sponsor the cases to weaken the opposition party.
In a statement on Tuesday, NNPP National Secretary Ogini Olaposi attributed the legal challenges and recent defections solely to Kwankwaso’s faction. He described their accusations as “lazy, empty blackmail,” suggesting the faction’s actions stem from an attempt to hijack the party after Kwankwaso received its presidential ticket for the 2023 elections.
“Was it Tinubu who made Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, attempt to hijack a party that gave him a free ticket to run?” the statement queried. It noted that Kwankwaso and his group, who have been formally expelled, persistently pursue court cases to seize control of the NNPP’s structure, a situation it says has prompted member defections.
The party’s response directly counters comments made by Elder Buba Galadima, a figure aligned with Kwankwaso, who accused the APC of sponsoring the litigation to prevent the NNPP from “taking over the party.”
Olaposi urged elected NNPP members who left due to the litigations to return, emphasizing the party’s readiness for the 2027 general elections. He referenced a resolution from the party’s 2025 national convention in Lagos, which promised automatic tickets to loyal members. “All elected members of the NNPP in 2023, who decamped due to the ongoing litigations, are encouraged to return and help rebuild our great party,” he stated.
The statement also highlighted internal strengthening efforts, including an e-registration drive aligned with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for 2027, aimed at fortifying the party’s grassroots structure.
Concluding, the NNPP positioned itself as a cooperative force in Nigeria’s political landscape. “NNPP is a sister political party to all registered parties in Nigeria and remains committed to being a responsible partner for the nation’s progress,” Olaposi said, adding that the party’s focus is on service, not power struggles. This internal discord within one of Nigeria’s main opposition parties underscores the ongoing realignment ahead of the next electoral cycle.
