Apart from the suspension of Aniebonam, the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major, was also suspended from the party.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is currently enmeshed in crisis after state chairman kicked against the purported suspension of the chairman of the party’s board of trustees (BoT), Dr Boniface Aniebonam by the National Working Committee (NWC).
Apart from the suspension of Aniebonam, the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major, was also suspended from the party.
The acting National Chairman, Mallam Abba Kawu Alli, and the National Auditor, Oladipo Johnson, had confirmed the suspension of Aniebonam and Major with immediate effect, pending the determination of investigations by the Disciplinary Committee at the National Level of the party.
Meanwhile the state chairmen of the party in a statement signed by their chairman and NNPP chairman in Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulSalam AbdulRasaq, rejected the decision.
In the statement made available to newsmen in Ilorin on Friday, AbdulRazaq described the purported suspension of Aniebonam as uncalled for and unacceptable.
Demanding immediate reversal of the suspension order, AbdulRazaq called on the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso, to call his “cronies” in the NWC to order.
The statement said; “We, state chairmen of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) received with shock and utmost disbelieve the purported suspension of the chairman of the Board of Trustees of our great party, Dr Boniface Aniebonam.
“We consider the action of the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) as ill- advised and an affront on the constitution of our party.
“We, therefore, demand the immediate reversal of the suspension order on Dr Aniebonam, who not only laid the solid foundation for the NNPP, but has toiled for over 20 years nurturing the party to its present enviable position.
“For emphasis sake, the decision of NWC is unfortunate, uncalled for and unacceptable to us- the Forum of NNPP State Chairmen.
“It is on this note that we are calling on the NNPP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to call his cronies in the NWC to order.
“Senator Kwankwaso should heed our advice in the general interest of our party; and more especially, in the interest of the only NNPP governor in the country, the governor of Kano State.
“Dr Aniebonam is a life member of the board of trustees and founder of NNPP in 2001. He has powers under the constitution to call to order any member of the party, Senator Kwankwaso if they act against the norms. The NWC do not have power to suspend him.
“We are urging the NWC and Senator Kwankwaso to note that membership of the board of trustees are well established and their roles and power clearly defined by the NNPP constitution. In the instance wherein Senator Kwankwaso imposed Malam Buba Galadima as the secretary of the board is a violation of the constitution.”