Johnchuks Onuanyim 
The National leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) led by Dr Ajuji Ahmed has said the factional members of the party, led by Agbo Major are willing tools in the hands of other political parties.
Speaking at a media conference held at the NNPP National Secretariat in Abuja, Dr Ahmed frowned at the move by the factional group, insisting that his side remains the only one recognized by law.
According to him, there “Is only one NNPP,” adding that the “only logo of the party known to law is the one with red, white and red colours with a book and academic cap in the middle, with the slogan education for all.”
It would be recalled that on February 4 the other group elected a new National Working Committee (NWC) during its 2025 elective National Convention which was held at the RockView Hotel in Apapa, Lagos.
At the meeting reportedly attended by delegates and officers of the party at national and state levels, Dr. Agbo Major emerged as the new national chairman of the party.
However, while dismissing the meeting, Ahmed reiterated that the opposition party`s NWC was constituted in 2022 under INEC`s supervision and according to the provisions of the constitution, as well as the Electoral Act 2022.
He revealed that the Lagos meeting was held by former members who are on the payroll of politicians who are scared of the opposition as they are “afraid of their own shadows as we march towards the 2027 elections.”
Dr Ahmed added, “Immediately after the 2023 general elections, some members of this Party who openly played anti-party activities were subjected to proper disciplinary procedures and were found wanting.
“They were duly sanctioned, but instead of exploring the internal mechanisms put in place by the Party to address their grievances, they decided to release themselves as willing tools to outsiders in order to distract the attention of the Party.
“They have been jumping from pillar to post, going from one court to the other, and swiftly losing one case after another, in practically every corner of the country.
“They have been to, and lost, in courts in Abuja, Ekiti, Port Harcourt, Awka, Kano, and Katsina, all the time desperately seeking to mislead the courts and abuse all known court processes. All those have failed.
“In their confusion, in November 2024, they took themselves to Court in Abia State, in the name of NNPP. Meanwhile, an Abuja Federal High Court as far back as April 2024 had ruled that, as expelled former members of the Party, they should stop parading themselves as NNPP members or leaders in any shape or form.
“The Federal High Court judgment of 18th April 2024, declared them as impostors, having been expelled by the party, and as such can neither sue in the name of the party nor against the party.
This same hired and sponsored emergency collection of characters gathered themselves in Lagos three days ago in the name of NNPP to hold a ludicrous charade of tipsy comedians when a Court of competent jurisdiction in Abuja gave a clear and unmistakable injunction against them not to hold that meeting.
“They defied the court ruling and went ahead to hold a beer parlour meeting in a hotel lobby which they now called the National Convention.
For the purpose of clarity, on the 16th of January 2025, the High Court of FCT gave an Order restraining them and their privies, proxies and whosoever from carrying out any official duty or activity for or on behalf of NNPP.
“The said orders were served on them, they have briefed their lawyers, they have appeared before the courts and filed their processes. Yet with brazen disregard for the orders of the court, the same group have gone ahead to hold this unlawful meeting and has purported to have elected members of a kangaroo National Working Committee.
“We are in court today 7th February 2025, and INEC has filed their process denying knowledge and existence of the so-called convention in Apapa and the purported election.
By the provisions of Section 83 of the Electoral Act, INEC must monitor all the activities of all Political Parties in Nigeria and keep records of such activities. By the provisions of Section 222(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is a condition precedent for the registration and recognition of an association as a political party.”
The National Chairman of the Kwankwaso-led group condemned Agbo and his group for disregarding the law.
According to him, “When a group of pretentious politicians consistently defies and shows contempt for the rule of law, and openly mocks our judicial system and our courts, you begin to wonder what set of unseen hands is behind the veil pushing them.
“It must be the same obvious forces that seek to bring chaos and disorder in all other opposition parties in our democracy. For those same forces, the best case scenario in the lead-up to 2027 is the absence of all oppositions, knowing full well that 2027 would practically be insurmountable for them, given the rampant weaponization of hunger and desperation across the land.
Be that as it may, history bears witness to the unalterable fact that the true hallmark of a vibrant democracy is a robust opposition. It is this robust opposition the NNPP will continue to represent on behalf of the good people of Nigeria.”
Continuing, the meeting called on members of the party to disregard the Lagos convention, as it insisted that it was the handiwork of those desperately working to demoralize them and to plant seeds of doubt and discord within the ranks.
