NNPP affirms Governor Yusuf can join any party or stay, stressing he does not need Kwankwaso’s approval for political decisions
The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has stated that Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, does not require the approval or endorsement of former presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, or any other political party.
Also read: NNPP Denies Kwankwaso Backing Defections
The party emphasised that Governor Yusuf also does not need Kwankwaso’s consent to remain in the NNPP, noting that his political choices are constitutionally protected.
The statement followed remarks by Kwankwaso’s spokesman, Ladipo Johnson, who denied that his principal had endorsed Governor Yusuf’s reported defection, describing claims to the contrary as false and misleading.
Reacting in Lagos on Monday, NNPP National Secretary, Ogini Olaposi, said Governor Yusuf, as the party’s only sitting governor, does not require Kwankwaso’s approval to either stay in or leave the party.
“While we advise the governor to remain in the NNPP, we also understand that it is within his constitutional rights to join any party of his choice due to escalating legal battles,” Olaposi said.
He added that the NNPP harbours no hostility towards other political parties, including the APC, and cannot compel the governor to remain against his will.
“If the governor has made up his mind to leave the NNPP, no dictatorial tendencies or blackmail can stop him. Yusuf has been doing well as governor of Kano State, and we will not become a stumbling block by insisting he remains in the party against his will,” Olaposi stated.
The NNPP also urged Kwankwaso and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement to stop distracting Governor Yusuf and allow him to focus on governance.
Olaposi questioned whether Kwankwaso’s opposition to the governor’s defection is rooted in godfatherism or personal grievances.
Responding to claims that Kwankwaso described the alleged defection as a “cold betrayal of trust,” the party dismissed the allegation as ironic.
“Kwankwaso and his group now know how betrayal feels, considering his attempt to hijack a party that freely gave him a platform to contest the 2023 presidential election,” the NNPP said.
The party reaffirmed its support for Governor Yusuf and any decision he may take, while still encouraging him to reconsider remaining in the NNPP.
Also read: NNPP Says Abba Yusuf Free to Quit Party Without Kwankwaso
Olaposi also reiterated that Kwankwaso remains expelled from the party, describing the action as being in the best interest of the NNPP and its members.
