NNPP Leadership Crisis: Founder Aniebonam Speaks on Court Rulings, Reaffirms Agbo Major-Led Faction as Legitimate Leadership
Founder of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has offered fresh and detailed insight into the protracted leadership crisis within the party, reaffirming that multiple court rulings have consistently recognized the leadership headed by Dr. Agbo Gilbert Major as the party’s authentic and legally constituted national executive.
Dr. Aniebonam made these remarks while speaking on the lingering internal crisis during an official courtesy visit by the executives of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), led by its President, Mr. Olalekan Olabulo. Other members of the delegation included the Vice President, Mrs. Evelyn Usman; former President, Mr. Christopher Oji; General Secretary, Mr. Joshua Uloko; and Financial Secretary, Mr. Ismaila Oguntade.
Addressing the journalists, the NNPP founder explained that the crisis has deepened into a serious internal confrontation between the party’s founding leadership and a rival faction loyal to the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. According to him, the dispute goes far beyond ordinary political disagreements, as it touches on the core values, constitutional framework, identity, and ownership of the party he established.
Dr. Aniebonam disclosed that a major legal milestone was recorded in late November 2025 when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja issued fresh orders restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing or engaging with any faction of the NNPP other than the leadership led by Dr. Agbo Gilbert Major, the party’s National Chairman.
He further explained that the court expressly barred INEC from monitoring, supervising, or participating in any congresses, conventions, or political activities organized by the faction aligned with Senator Kwankwaso. This faction, he noted, is represented in the ongoing legal proceedings by Dr. Ajuju Ahmed and others. The restraining order, he emphasized, remains valid pending the final determination of the substantive suit before the court.
According to Dr. Aniebonam, the most recent court orders only reinforced earlier judicial pronouncements on the matter. He recalled that the Abia State High Court, as well as previous rulings of the FCT High Court, had already affirmed the legality and validity of the NNPP national convention that produced Dr. Agbo Gilbert Major as National Chairman. These judgments, he stressed, consistently upheld the Aniebonam/Major leadership structure as the duly recognized national leadership of the party under the law.
The NNPP founder expressed profound disappointment over what he described as a “betrayal of trust” by Senator Kwankwaso. He stated that the former Kano State governor was offered the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general elections “freely and in good faith,” without any financial or political encumbrances, in the collective interest of strengthening the party and positioning it as a formidable national platform.
Dr. Aniebonam accused the Kwankwaso-aligned movement of attempting to “hijack the party” through actions he described as unlawful and unconstitutional, including alleged attempts to illegally alter the party’s constitution and tamper with its official symbols. Such actions, he argued, undermine internal democracy, party supremacy, and the rule of law, which remain the bedrock of any credible political organization.
While acknowledging that the founding leadership has consistently secured favourable court rulings, Dr. Aniebonam admitted that the prolonged internal crisis has had some negative consequences for the party. He noted that the tension and uncertainty generated by the dispute have led to the defection of some members who became disillusioned by the ongoing legal and political battles.
Nevertheless, he expressed strong optimism that the NNPP would eventually overcome the crisis and emerge stronger. He said the repeated judicial affirmations in favour of the Agbo Major-led leadership provide a solid legal foundation for restoring stability, unity, and discipline within the party.
Dr. Aniebonam urged party members and stakeholders to remain steadfast, respect the rule of law, and abide by court judgments, stressing that personal ambitions should never be placed above the collective survival and long-term growth of the party.
He concluded by reaffirming his unwavering commitment to the ideals upon which the NNPP was founded, assuring that the party would continue to operate strictly within the confines of the law while pursuing reconciliation, consolidation, and renewed political relevance on the national stage.
