Just as the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is beginning to position itself as a formidable third force in Nigeria’s political landscape, following its impressive performance in the 2023 General Elections, a brewing internal crisis threatens to derail its progress and undermine its chances of consolidating its gains in the 2027 elections.
The party’s remarkable unity and cohesion, which propelled it to unexpected heights, are now being tested by simmering tensions and factional divisions.
With a state governor, two Senators, and over a dozen Members of the House of Representatives, as well as a presence in several state assemblies, the NNPP made a relatively strong debut in the political arena.
However, the recent suspension of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State by a faction within the NNPP, led by Major Agbo, has added a new twist to the supremacy battle rocking the party.
Daring move
Ogini Olaposi, the factional National Secretary, announced Governor Yusuf’s six-month suspension, citing his participation in an “illegal national convention” convened by Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, the party’s presidential candidate and leader of the opposing faction.
Kwankwaso is not only Governor Yusuf’s political godfather and in-law but also has his son serving as a commissioner in the latter’s cabinet.
Sources within Kwankwaso’s faction have dismissed the suspension as “laughable,” given the close relationship between Governor Yusuf and Kwankwaso. Dipo Olayoku, the National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction, described the suspension as “a joke taken too far by a bunch of clowns.”
The NNPP entered the last presidential election united, which significantly impacted its vote tally, particularly in Kano state.
However, following the February 25 election, a group within the party led by Boniface Aniebonam and Agbo Major accused Kwankwaso of “anti-party activities” and mismanaging party funds. He was later expelled for failing to appear before the party’s Disciplinary Committee.
Buba Galadima, a founding father of the NNPP and Kwankwaso’s ally, dismissed the suspension as a “Nollywood, Hollywood Joke” and claimed that opposition parties were plotting with the Agbo faction to destroy the NNPP.
Kwankwaso sought legal redress, and his suspension was annulled by a Kano State Court, which also issued an interim injunction restraining Boniface Aniebonam, Agbo Major, and others from parading themselves as national officers or leaders of the party.
Strong warning
Political analysts warn that the intense power struggle between the Kwankwaso and Agbo-led factions will determine who controls the party’s machinery ahead of the 2027 election.
The victor will claim the reins of the NNPP, while the vanquished may face political oblivion. However, experts caution that this internal fighting poses an existential threat to the party itself, as a house divided against itself cannot stand.
They urge the warring factions to seek a path of reconciliation, lest their ego-driven struggle for dominance reduces the NNPP to ashes, leaving the door open for political rivals to capitalise on their disunity.
