The National Secretary of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Ogini Olaposi, has clarified that any plans by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) are his own and do not reflect the party’s stance.
Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, recently announced his readiness to join the ruling APC, stating that his political movement would not be used merely to win elections and then abandoned.
In response, Olaposi noted that Kwankwaso’s declaration signifies that he and his movement are no longer part of the NNPP. “At last, we have been vindicated. All negotiations by any party with Kwankwaso should be done in his individual capacity,” he stated.
Olaposi emphasized that the NNPP will focus on rebuilding itself following the crisis and litigations caused by Kwankwaso and his followers, who were expelled for anti-party activities. He reiterated that any negotiations involving Kwankwaso in the name of the NNPP are invalid, as he no longer holds a political platform within the party.
The NNPP’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Kwankwasiya Movement ended after the 2023 presidential election, according to Olaposi. He expressed that the party is currently prioritizing internal organization ahead of the upcoming elections.
The situation has raised discussions about Kwankwaso’s political future, with Olaposi asserting that many of his followers in Kano have already joined the APC, leaving him without significant backing within the NNPP.