Expelled members’ rush to misinform Nigerians over FCT judgment a new low for them – NNPP

By KEMI KASUMU

“The Honourable Court made no comments on the merits of the case before it, quite naturally, as it stated that it has no jurisdiction,” it said.

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has slammed a group of former members who were expelled from the party over what it described as their rush to misinform Nigerians over a judgment of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, say it is a new low for them.

“These recalcitrant figures have a propensity to misinform at every opportunity,” it said.

Justice M. A. Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Thursday April 3, 2025 in Abuja, had declined jurisdiction in a matter filed last year by the party.

“The Honourable Court made no comments on the merits of the case before it, quite naturally, as it stated that it has no jurisdiction,” it said.

In a statement same day by the National Publicity Secretary, Bamofin Ladipo Johnson, NNPP declared that “the action of these renegade group of people, in attempting to misinform Nigerians about the court judgement, was a new low, even for them, as it shows that they do not have an iota of morality and will misinform and mislead Nigerians without batting an eyelid.”

Johnson stated that “quite expectedly, some of the Defendants in the suit who remain expelled from the party have rushed to misinform Nigerians by twisting the judgement. Unlike the falsehoods they put out, there was no pronouncement conferring legitimacy or authority on any so-called board of trustees. The Court declined jurisdiction on the ground that it is an internal affair of the party.”

He said, “Thus, the expulsion of Boniface Aniebonam and his cohorts remains and was never disturbed by the court judgment. The judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja division delivered on the 18/4/2024 affirming the expulsion of Boniface Aniebonam, Major Agbo, Olaposi Oginni among others has not been set aside and is still subsisting.”

The statement by the NNPP further stated that the issue  of who qualifies as a member of the National Working Committee is a constitutional and statutory matter.

Johnson stated that “by virtue of Section 222 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that for an association to be registered as a political party, the names and addresses of its members of the National Working Committee (NWC) must be registered with INEC;  as well as sections  81 & 83 of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended) which provides that  political parties must have their records properly registered with INEC, it is the NNPP as recognized by INEC, and under the leadership of Dr Ajuji Ahmed, that is authentic.”

“These recalcitrant figures have a propensity to misinform at every opportunity”, Johnson stated. “If you inquire at INEC or simply Google the INEC portal, you will not see the names of Boniface Aniebonam, Major Agbo, Olaposi Oginni and their cohorts as national working committee members of the NNPP.

“There are no records of their activities with INEC as required by the Electoral Act.

“In actual fact, INEC had in the said suit preceding today’s judgment, by their affidavit before the court, denied knowledge of the existence of these renegade group of persons and any of their purported political activities.”

“It is obvious that these people are being sponsored to misinform the public at every turn. It should be recalled that quite recently when the NNPP called out the shortcomings in the hasty declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by the presidency, this group quickly supported the position of the Presidency and the APC, falsely claiming that the “NNPP” was in support.

“On the whole, it was stated that the judgment under reference made no pronouncement upsetting the status of the NNPP nor gave any directives to INEC to review the records of NNPP with the Commission. Therefore, the management of the party remains under the leadership of Dr. Ajuji Ahmed,” the statement said.