From Desmond Mgboh, Kano

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kano chapter, has suspended four of its National Assembly members for alleged anti-party activities.

Alhaji Hashimu Dungurawa, the state chairman of the party, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen yesterday in Kano.

The suspended lawmakers represent Kano South, Rano/Kibiya, Dala and Rogo/Karaye Federal Constituency of Kano State.

He named the suspended lawmakers, Kawu Sumaila, Ali Gini, Sani Rogo and Kabiru Rurum.

“These members were elected under the NNPP platform but have recently been acting contrary to the party’s wishes, beliefs and values.”

Dungurawa said the suspended members were given complimentary tickets during the party elections but began to work against the party’s interests after being elected.

He cited a recent event where Sumaila inaugurated projects at his university in Sumaila without inviting party members as an indication of the anti-party activities.

He explained that a committee would be set up to investigate the issue and address it once and for all.

In spite of the suspension, Dungurawa said there was still room for dialogue, adding that if their relationship with the party improved, they could be readmitted into the fold.

Daily Sun gathered that the relationship between the NNPP and some of the affected legislators had been awry in the last few months with some of them said to have perfected plans to defect.

Among the many issues in contention are the NNNP state government’s policy of dissolution and later downgrading of some of the emirates, the rejection of the red cap culture, which elevates a single person above the party and the continued romance of some of the party officials with key figures of their previous party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Daily Sun gathered that last weekend’s wedding of Senator Abdulraham Kawu Sumaila’s child held in Sumaila broke the camel’s back. Invitations were extended to top officials of the APC, including the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibril and the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje but it was doubtful if similar invitations were extended to the leader of the NNPP and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.