A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Alhaji Abass Onilewura, has accused the former presidential candidate of the party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, of being responsible for the loss of Kano State governor, Yusuf Abba, at the State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
Onilewura made the accusation in a press statement issued on Thursday. He claimed that Kwankwaso sold out the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to negotiate for a ministerial slot in the President Bola Tinubu-led government. He also accused Kwankwaso of engaging in anti-party activities that gave the APC an advantage in the tribunal.
“Our investigation also showed that the continuous engagement of Kwankwaso with the APC at some point gave room for them to discover loopholes, which were later used against the Kano governor to secure victory for the opposition,” Onilewura said.
“It is unfortunate that some of us sweat to get the party to where it is today, only for someone like Kwankwaso to come and make all our efforts a waste. We are happy that someone like that has been expelled from this great party.”
“We also want to use this avenue to warn him to stay clear of the NNPP; we don’t want a betrayal in our party, and we would do anything humanly possible to secure our party from hijackers who are more concerned about personal gain.”
Onilewura called on the NNPP national leadership to expel Kwankwaso from the party and sanction him for his disloyalty and misconduct. He also urged Abba to appeal the tribunal’s verdict and seek redress at the Court of Appeal. He expressed confidence that Abba would reclaim his mandate and restore the NNPP’s glory in Kano.
However, Kwankwaso has denied any involvement with the APC or any plan to defect from the NNPP. He has also expressed his support for Abba and his intention to appeal the tribunal’s verdict. He said that Onilewura’s statement was false and malicious and aimed at tarnishing his reputation and creating division within the party.
“I am still a loyal and committed member of the NNPP, and I have no intention of leaving the party or joining the APC. I have not sold out the party or the governor to anyone. I have not engaged in any anti-party activity or leaked any information or document to APC. I have not sought or received any ministerial offer from Tinubu or anyone else,” Kwankwaso said.
He said that he had worked hard for the success of the NNPP and Abba in the election and that he was disappointed by the tribunal’s judgment. He said that he believed that Abba won the election fair and square and that he deserved to remain as the governor of Kano. He said that he would stand by Abba and support him in his appeal.
“I am confident that Abba will win at the Court of Appeal and retain his seat as the governor of Kano. I urge all NNPP members and supporters to remain calm and united and not be distracted by Onilewura’s baseless allegations. We are still one family, and we will overcome this challenge together,” Kwankwaso said.
The State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, on Tuesday, September 20, 2023, nullified Abba’s election as governor of Kano and ordered a fresh election within 90 days. The tribunal ruled that Abba’s election was marred by irregularities, malpractices, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. The tribunal upheld the petition filed by APC candidate Abdullahi Ganduje, who challenged Abba’s victory at the polls.
“I am still a loyal and committed member of the NNPP, and I have no intention of leaving the party or joining the APC. I have not sold out the party or the governor to anyone. I have not engaged in any anti-party activity or leaked any information or document to APC. I have not sought or received any ministerial offer from Tinubu or anyone else,” Kwankwaso said.