“Aniebonam is claiming sole ownership of the party but this is not true and neither is it a legal possibility. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear on party ownership and membership; a party cannot be owned by an individual, but a collective of individuals.”
By Uzor Odigbo
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) said that no amount of deceit, false accusations, misrepresentation and mudslinging would stop it from performing its role as a viable opposition party with the welfare of the masses at heart.
The party, in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson said it was committed to selfless service to the Nigerian people.
Johnson dismissed claims of ownership of the party by the founding Chairman and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Boniface Aniebonam, saying the party was not owned by any single individual as that would go against the laws of the land.
Aniebonam who registered the NNPP in 2001 was expelled from the party in 2023 for alleged anti-party activities.
Johnson said in the statement that Aniebonam expulsion, along with some of his co-travellers, was due to overbearing tendencies which were inimical to the overall interest and growth of the party, adding that the expulsion followed due democratic process.
He alleged that since the expulsion, “Aniebonam and others have instituted a number of cases to challenge the party’s decisions particularly on their expulsion. They have also asked the court to compel INEC to recognize them as ‘the authentic’ NNPP.
“However, it is on record that all such legal actions have failed, and the various courts have decided in favour of the NNPP as a political party, under the able leadership of Dr Ahmed Aduji.
“Expectedly, the logical step for Aniebonam and his co-travelers would have been to appeal the court judgements against them but rather they have resorted to utter blackmail, deceit and outright false misrepresentation of the issues.
“The party has to put the record straight so that the general public can duly realize and know that contrary to such sensational media orchestrations in recent times by Aniebonam and Co, they are merely misleading the public by injecting sentiments into a pure matter of law and constitutionalism.
“Now, Aniebonam is claiming sole ownership of the party but this is not true and neither is it a legal possibility. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear on party ownership and membership; a party cannot be owned by an individual, but a collective of individuals.
“To that extent, his claim of sole ownership of the NNPP and his arbitrary dispositions even to the extent of singlehandedly purporting to override decisions of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) while he was still in the party, is a misnomer and part of the recurring issues that led to his expulsion by a well constituted disciplinary committee, NWC and NEC as stipulated in the party’s constitution.
“NNPP wishes to let the public know that Aniebonam’s expulsion and that of his co travellers, together with issues bordering on the legality of the organs and actions of the party, have been tested and validated in the law courts.”
