Freedom Fighters Accuse Kwankwaso Of Betraying NNPP Founder, Demand INEC Obedience To Court Rulings
Freedom Fighters Accuse Kwankwaso Of Betraying NNPP Founder, Demand INEC Obedience To Court Rulings
By Frank Odinukaeze
A socio-political pressure group under the banner of Freedom Fighters, Kano State, has accused Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), of betraying the party’s founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam Okechukwu.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Muhammad B. Bashir, and Secretary, Comrade Ahmad Salisu, the group alleged that Kwankwaso had sidelined Dr. Aniebonam after being entrusted with the NNPP platform which enabled him to contest the 2023 presidential election.
According to the group, Dr. Aniebonam, who founded the NNPP in 2002, envisioned a political platform that would one day produce a God-fearing president capable of restoring Nigeria’s greatness. The statement described the founder as a man who had quietly but consistently invested in the growth of the party and supported Kwankwaso “with a genuine heart.”
Founder of NNPP,Dr.Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam (L) and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,when the later visited Dr Aniebonam at his home town in Umuawulu in Anambra State,to seek the NNPP platform to context the 2023 presidential election
However, the group claims Kwankwaso, after gaining prominence, began to take “unilateral decisions” within the party without recourse to its founder. Most notably, they accused him of orchestrating a “fraudulent and corrupt” change of the NNPP logo—an action they said was a blatant disregard for the party’s vision and the rule of law.
The Freedom Fighters also referenced several alleged instances of betrayal by Kwankwaso in his political career, accusing him of abandoning leaders and allies including former President Goodluck Jonathan, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, former Kano Governors Ibrahim Shekarau and Abdullahi Ganduje.
“Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is a serial betrayer and deceit of unsuspecting persons who may come his way,” the statement read.
The group urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply with judgments from the Abia State High Court and the Federal Capital Territory High Court, both of which, according to them, affirmed Dr. Aniebonam’s rightful leadership of the NNPP.
They further warned INEC against recognizing the faction led by Dr. Ahmed Ajuji, insisting that the Abuja High Court had already restrained the commission from doing so.
“As Freedom Fighters of Kano State, we stand firmly against injustice and betrayal of trust. We will never support actions that undermine fairness, respect, and loyalty in our democracy,” the statement added, stressing that Nigeria must not be turned into a “banana republic” where the rule of law is ignored.
