NNPP Threatens To Prosecute El-Rufai Over Defamatory Statement About FG Sponsorship

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has slammed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai for claiming the party received sponsorship from the Federal Government.

This accusation came after the party expelled its former presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and suspended Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf.

The NNPP’s national leadership condemned El-Rufai’s statement, demanding an apology for spreading false information. The party maintains its actions were not influenced by external forces, and El-Rufai’s claims are baseless and misleading.

In a statement made available to News men on Wednesday by the National Secretary of the  NNPP, Oginni Olaposi, he disclosed: “El-Rufai’s claims are desperate attempt to distract from the real issues at hand.

“The last thing I read about the NNPP was that one faction of the party has expelled Kwankwaso and the sitting governor.

“When you see things like that, you will know it is a contrived crisis. Which party sacks a sitting governor? And that is the only governor they have. I cannot mention names because I don’t have the details,

“To set the record straight and to educate Mallam Nasir El Rufai on the genesis and revelations of the crisis that led to the expulsion of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the subsequent suspension of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, we shall ask Mallam Nasir El Rufai to ask his friend (Kwankwaso) to answer some of the following questions before the allegations of interference or sponsorship by the Federal Government can be substantiated.

“Was it the Federal Government that asked Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to go to Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam in February 2022 to beg for the NNPP platform? Was it the Federal Government that orchestrated the illegal change of the NNPP logo to that of Kwankwaso’s private school and his Kwankwasia group?

“The Federal Government had no role in the internal workings of our party. Kwankwaso and his cohorts are responsible for the crisis.

“Consequently, we are calling on Mallam Nasir El Rufai to publicly tender an unreserved apology to the Founder of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, and the party leadership on the unfortunate allegation of sponsorship by the federal government.

“We are giving Mallam Nasir El Rufai the next 48 hours to tender his apology for his reckless statement or face prosecution for a defamatory statement against the innocent leaders of the New Nigeria People’s Party,” he noted” .