Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has appealed to forces within and outside the party to allow Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf  to face governance in a peaceful atmosphere.

Aniebonam, also chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, stated this yesterday in Lagos, following the controversies around the court ruling that sacked Governor Yusuf and his membership of the NNPP as at March 18 gubernatorial election in the state.

The leadership crisis in the NNPP started when a group loyal to Aniebonam, suspended the party’s presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is leader of Kwankwasiyya socio-political group that merged with the NNPP in the build up to 2023 general elections.

Similarly, a faction loyal to Kwankwaso also announced the expulsion of some national officers loyal to Aniebonam over alleged anti-party activities, and the back and forth battle had continued.

The crisis became messier with some protests after the November 17 appeal court’s ruling upheld the decision of the Kano State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sacked Yusuf earlier in September.

The appellate court, in a ‘controversial’ decision by a three-member panel of justices, held that Yusuf was not a valid candidate in the gubernatorial election that held in the state on March 18.

This has continued to generate hoopla in the political space, as well as within the NNPP, with divergent voices within and outside the party agreeing and disagreeing on Yusuf’s membership.

Aniebonam said: “I hereby and once again make it clear that Governor Abbah Kabir Yusuf of Kano State is a duly registered member of the NNPP.

“If he was not, the NNPP would not have presented him to Kano indigenes through the INEC for the 2023  governorship election.

“If he was not a member and presented by the NNPP for the election, I guess INEC would not have allowed his participation. And for the emphasis, it is only a political party that determines its membership and not the INEC and or any other interloper.”

Calling for peace and justice in Kano, he expressed hope that the Supreme Court would validate Yusuf’s mandate at the poll.

“As regards the various cases at the tribunal and Appeal Court and judgment therein against NNPP’s Governor Abbah Kabir Yusuf, it is my hope and belief that the supreme Court will not only ensure justice to all manner of people brought before it, but shall also ensure that justice is done to him and the NNPP under the avoidable circumstances.

“It is in the public domain that NNPP won the governorship election and other elections flatly and overwhelmingly in the last governorship election, therefore, there is nothing to worry about. The supreme Court definitely shall resolve this matter to the glory of God and Abbah Kabir Yusuf who is a child of God and destiny.”

Aniebonam said as founder and life member of the NNPP Board of Trustees, he was constrained to declare order in the party, saying any member acting against the norms of the constitution must stop.

“The unconstitutional and unauthorised pronouncements arising from the internal crisis of the party shall be addressed soonest and after the Supreme Court judgment.

“Kwankwasiyya movement is an ideology of persons and for the welfare of the greater numbers of the poor masses, and indeed, a very peaceful group, and law abiding citizens of Nigeria.

“It is my hope that the NNPP and its affiliate bodies shall continue to keep the peace of the society even at a time of extreme provocation.

“Let’s keep faith with the Supreme Court to do justice and to the glory of God, mankind, society, Governor Abbah Kabir Yusuf, NNPP, democracy in Nigeria and even to the dead,” he said.