Founder of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, has appealed to the Nigerian media not to refer to him as factional leader of the party.
Aniebonam in a statement signed by him on Monday in Lagos said: “the media in-particular should please do me a favour and stop referring to me as a leader of a faction in the NNPP.
“I am the founder and father of the NNPP since 2002 till date, and it is not in contest. I still hold the certificate of registration of the party.
“A faction going by dictionary definition is a small group within a larger group. Therefore, it is Kwankwaso and his followers that were a faction before he was expelled from the NNPP.
Aniebonam said he regretted the turn of events after offering the sole candidacy of the NNPP to Senator Rabiu Kwanwkwaso in 2023, as its presidential candidate.
“I regret that I came with clean mind and at no cost with members of the NNPP national executive committee and members to help Kwanwkwaso and his Kwankwasiya movement, to contest elective positions in the 2023 general elections.
“I regret to note the turn of events at the moment but really, there is nothing to worry about, it is my belief that a day shall come when peace shall return to the NNPP. “
According to Aniebonam, I want to state clearly that i do not know that there is a faction in the NNPP.
“It shall never be my intention to lead a faction in a party that I founded, nurtured, financed and supervised its growth and development for 22 years before the entry of Kwankwaso.and his Kwankwasiya movement.
“Unfortunately, Elder Buba Galadima who led a delegation of highly respected Nigerians to my country home in Umuawulu town in Awka South local government area of Anambra, wtoday found on national television, displaying an uncommon character of an elder which is disheartening.”
