.Accuses Duo of Violating Article 39.2 (7) of NNPP Constitution
.Say BoT Chairman Out To Hijack Party
There seems to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), as the National Working Committee (NWC) on Thursday suspended Dr. Boniface Onyebunum, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and Agbo Major, the National Publicity Secretary.
Both men were accused of efforts to hijack the party, moves the National Auditor, Ladipo Johnson, on behalf of the Acting National Chairman, Abba Kawu Alli, said contravened Article 39.2 (7) of the NNPP constitution.
Ladipo at a press conference in Abuja, accused the men of being in “the process of intentionally factionalizing the party together with some of the earlier suspended members, amongst other things.”
It further accused the BoT Chairman of arrogating “to himself the right to solely reverse decisions of the National Working Committee, even those decisions that were ratified and adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.”
The NWC insisted that it would not permit such a situation, as it added that “this party is one and that we shall stand up to those who would like to bring it to disrepute.”
While noting the presence of persons it described as “a few disgruntled, expelled and suspended members that have taken cover under Dr. Aniebonam and have seemingly pushed him to perform acts that are inimical to the growth of the party, and the operation of our constitution,” the Acting National Chairman disclosed that the suspension of the principal officers will last until investigation is concluded into the alleged anti-party activities.
This is as he recalled that the suspension of about seven former NNPP state chairmen, and the dissolution of the executive committees of nine state chapters followed accusations of anti-party activities.
“In line with our constitution, therefore, we have today suspended Dr. Boniface Okechukwu-Aniebonam and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Agbo Major, pending the determination of investigations by the disciplinary committee at the national level of the party.
“Furthermore, the men and their suspended cohorts have under Article 39.27 been involved in anti-party activities and conduct which may likely have an adverse effect on the party or bring hatred, contempt, disrespect or ridicule to the party.
“Naturally, the gentleman, along with others that were earlier suspended, have access, in the first instance, to the disciplinary committee, which will invite them for fair hearing, and also an appeal procedure, which is clearly laid out under our constitution.
“We must state that this party is one and that we shall stand up to those who would like to bring it to disrepute. We must let the press know that there are only a few disgruntled, expelled and suspended members that have taken cover under Dr. Aniebonam and have seemingly pushed him to perform acts that are inimical to the growth of the party, and the operation of our constitution.
“As we know that they will definitely issue spurious statements seeking to confuse the general public, we urge the press to address these people properly as suspended chairman or members of the party.
“Apart from being a founding member, as you said, what else do you think that emboldened Dr. Aniebonam? Because from what you said, does he have any special stake at the party that could give him the boldness and confidence to say he was issuing a vote of no confidence on the NWC?
“I also have a little question to ask. Where do you think the party is heading to with this recent crisis?
“Whichever way we look at this is a custom ground. Where do you think the party will head with all this?
“I think that when you have run a party for some 20, almost 20 years or so, as a one-man show or so, then I think it becomes difficult for the person to have to follow constitutional procedures, checks and balances.
“I think that Dr. Aniebonam probably feels that his authority was being challenged.
“Meanwhile, nothing has been done outside the provisions of the constitution. And as such, I don’t think any member of the working committee would have at any stage or has at any stage challenged him personally.
“The bottom line is that you will recall that Dr. Aniebonam wrote some letters, signed as founder.
“There is no such thing in the constitution. As you all know, when you want to form an Association, a political association with INEC, you need several people to sign from the word go. So that is one. The other thing is that, as I said, no one has challenged him.
“And if he feels the National Working Committee erred, either in procedure or otherwise, or as a member of trustees or as a founder, you feel people should come together. You do not single-handedly write letters to the IG of Police, to INEC, to various people, and publish these letters without sitting on the board.
“You cannot break the constitution in view of trying to fix something you feel might have been wrong. So no one is perfect, and we keep working towards building a party that will serve the people of this country. So that, I think, might be where the misunderstanding came from, and it has festered and unfortunately it has come to this.
“What was done? A lot of things. A lot of things, a lot of meetings have taken place. Even between the former presidential candidate and various members even with Dr. Aniebonam as well; a lot of meetings have occurred, trying to bring in understanding that look, let’s follow due constitutional process within the party now if you have suspended or expelled at that stage chairman coming to you and you term yourself father of all you should bring everyone together and tell that person follow the procedures in the constitution.
“I’ll have you recall that the former member of the party and former Ogun State Chairman went to court and that was what they told him, go and follow the processes under your constitution.
“He never did that. Dr. Aniebonam never got him to do that. Yet you now look, the bottom line is this. If we sat down and did nothing.
“Because Dr. Aniebonam is our father and one of the founders of this party, then we wouldn’t be a national working committee. Because you write a letter as an individual to organs around institutions saying that you have reversed what your national working community did, what the NEC has ratified, it’s not proper, and it cannot be accepted under any circumstances.
“So there are many, many meetings. I’m answering the second question, whereby various leaders sat down to try to resolve the issues. Unfortunately, it seems that some people have decided that no, we won’t even follow the process under the constitution, we’ll just go outside and start to blackmail the party.
“And we cannot continue to fold our arms in the sense that we don’t want problems, because we know that it will continue. It will continue until I come in from those supporting Peter will be about 10 50 billion in cash 50 billion 2027.
“So it is better we deal with these issues, restructure, reposition the party, and move the party for growth, which is where the last question came from. Where are we heading to as a party? But before I say that, let me take the very first question. The National Working Committee, Sir, is the administrative arm of the National Executive Committee.
“The National Executive by its sheer size and volume, and even by the Constitution, does not meet on a weekly or a daily basis. We are here all the time to make sure that the party keeps ticking. Now, if any party, whether the APC or the PDP, they may as well add the fact that the former vice president’s, Atiku, visited Senator Kwakwanso and say that it’s anti-party activities.
If a party in government says, let us talk, let us talk, we are thinking about bringing about a government of national unity, then it behooves on you, if you do not have anything against the country as a whole, say okay, let’s listen. And when you listen, if you reach consensus, you understand, then it works. If you don’t, it doesn’t work.
“But at each stage, the party must know. And by the party, we mean the National Executive Committee, the representatives of the party.
“And by the National Executive Working Committee, we mean the National Working Committee, because they are there on an administrative basis, on a daily basis. And at each stage, we knew what was happening.
“So no one is hobnobbing or doing anything. It is politics. You talk. This is unlike. And I know the person who started this. It was our friend, my good friend, the former member from Ogun State. Two days to the general election, he had a gubernatorial candidate and went to the PDP gubernatorial candidate and said the whole NNPP is supporting you.
“We’ve collapsed all our structures, or something similar. Now that is totally different from what has been happening. We’re responsible people, and we will remain responsible.
“And for as long as the generality of members of the New Nigerian People’s Party feel that the set of people here are representing them properly in the working committee, we will continue to do.
“What we can do. We hope and pray and are working towards ensuring that this party remains a viable opposition party. We are going to be putting in a lot of activities over the next few years. The organizing secretary is mobilizing. The women leader, the women leader and the youth leader are also working.
“We have started considering their proposals to ensure that we take the message of the platform of the party to the working classes of this country. This party stands for the people who are suffering under this economy.
“We are going to take our message to them and make them know that there is an alternative. We can do better. And this way we plan and work towards 2027.
That is where we’re hoping to take the party,” Alli insisted.
