The National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, has however dismissed the purported suspension of the governor as a hoax.
By Emma Ogbuehi
In near reenactment of the confusion in the Kano state chapter of All Progressives Congress with alleged suspension of the former governor and national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, a faction of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the state has also suspended the current governor, Abba Yusuf, for six months.
The faction of the Party under the leadership of Major Agbo which took the action on Tuesday, claimed that it was over Governor Yusuf’s failure to appear before a disciplinary committee to defend an alleged infraction against the party’s constitution.
Yusuf’s suspension was announced by the National Secretary of the faction, Ogini Olaposi, at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
The National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, has however dismissed the purported suspension of the governor as a hoax.
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Addressing journalists at the party secretariat, Olaposi disclosed that the Board of Trustees took the decision to suspend the governor in the interest of the party.
Olaposi accused the governor of associating with an ‘illegal national convention’ of the Kwankwasiya group led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso in Abuja on April 6.
He said; “Nigerians need to know the position of the New Nigeria People’s Party following the failure of the governor to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to explain the reason(s) His Excellency, who was elected on the party’s platform and a national figure of NNPP participated in an illegal/ factional national convention of NNPP held by the Kwankwasiya group at Wuse 2 in Abuja on Saturday, 6th April.
“The leadership of the NNPP to strengthen our internal disciplinary and democratic measures, most especially in the area of party supremacy without prejudice, is left with no other options than to decisively take necessary action according to the letters of NNPP Constitution 2022 as amended.
“With the approval of the Board of Trustees of New Nigeria Peoples Party and the unanimous decision of the National Working Committee of our great Party, His Excellency, Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State is hereby suspended for six months with immediate effect.
The National Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya faction of NNPP, Dipo Olayoku, however laughed off the purported suspension as a joke taken too far by ‘a bunch of clowns’ who he claimed had long been expelled from the party.
“Gov Abba Yusuf was suspended in what capacity? These people are not members of the NNPP. They only want to make news. We don’t know them because they are not members of our party. After all, they have all been suspended, and there is a court order banning them from parading themselves as party members.
“So, how can non-members of NNPP suspend a governor? They are just clowns having fun because you can only suspend someone if you have a party. They don’t have a party and INEC has a record of members of the party. They are just out there making people laugh,” he stated.
The local ward of erstwhile governor Abdullahi Ganduje allegedly suspended him on Monday over accusations of corruption. Ganduje and the APC have however dismissed the action, blaming the NNPP government in the state for being behind the story.