• NNPP accuses APC of smear campaign with certificate forgery allegation
National Working Committee (NWC) of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has said that some of its expelled members have been hired to dent the image of Governor Abba Yusuf and leader of the party, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

In a statement, yesterday, Ladipo Johnson, on behalf of the NWC under Acting National Chairman, Abba Ali, accused some expelled members of organising a press conference in Abuja, to claim that Yusuf and Kwankwaso were not NNPP members.

He stated: “It has come to our notice that certain expelled members of the NNPP, including Tope Aluko, and some former state chairmen, who are sponsored elements, are conducting a press conference in Jabi, Abuja to falsely state as a form of propaganda, that Abba Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP as at the time of the election and that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was dismissed from the party.

“These allegations are totally false and inaccurate. We state that the Kano governor was a bona fide member of the NNPP at all material times and that we have confidence in the Supreme Court that justice will be done. These hired hands, who seem to be lackeys in the hands of the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, seem to have ‘sold their souls’ and will do anything for pecuniary gains at the expense of the Nigerian electorate.”

He noted that Boniface Aniebonam, one of the founders of NNPP, recently spoke in favour of the governor and asked that his election be upheld, while urging Nigerians to ignore the false statements.

Also, the NNPP has described the cross appeal at the Supreme Court by APC-– alleging that the governor submitted forged certificate – as effort at chasing shadows.

NNPP chieftain, Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, stated, yesterday, in Ibadan, that APC should provide proof that the certificate submitted by Yusuf to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was forged.

According to Oguntoyinbo, the APC is shamefully pursuing another dead end in its desperate move to step down the choice of Kano people.

For this to follow the Court of Appeal debacle, he added, shows that APC is desperately chasing shadows and can hold to anything to upturn the victory NNPP secured at the poll.

He said: “APC should realise that Nigeria is not a banana republic. No matter how hard it tried, the party (APC) cannot succeed in upturning the victory of our great party in Kano.

“Our members should leave APC to continue chasing shadows. Yusuf will serve eight years in Kano. To us, Abba Yusuf is four plus four. Our members should remain calm despite this provocation. We must maintain peace. We are sure of getting justice at the Supreme Court.”

APC and the NNPP are now at the Supreme Court following a contradictory judgment given by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

Governor Yusuf filed an appeal against the judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which declared the APC flag bearer, Nasiru Gawuna, as the winner of the state’s governorship poll held on March 18.