By Sunday Ani
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) said it would not succumb to blackmail to backdate the resignation of members elected on its platform, who failed to complete the process before its letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the issue.
The party also warned those approaching some members of its leadership to desist, as falsifying the records is tantamount to criminality.
This was contained in a statement by its founder and chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, earlier today.
The party insisted that those asking it to backdate their incomplete resignation would not be accommodated for obvious reasons.
The party was reacting to controversy within its ranks that some of its elected members affected by the letter to the INEC had approached the leadership to backdate their resignation.
The party, in a letter to the INEC on Monday, October 19, stated that Gov Abba Yusuf of Kano State, 18 members of the House of Representatives, 28 members of the State House of Assembly from Kano and two senators elected on its platform in 2023, did not complete the constitutional requirements for resignation from the party.
The letter, which was jointly signed by the party’s national chairman, Dr Agbo Major, and general secretary, Mr Oginni Olaposi, said the members, who are now in other political parties and contesting for the 2027 general elections, have not complied with the constitutional requirements governing resignation from the party.
“We write to formally inform the Commission of the purported resignation and subsequent political activities of certain elected public office holders, who obtained their respective mandates on the platform of our great party but have failed to comply with the prescribed procedures for lawful termination of their membership,” the letter stated.
The party’s leadership assured its members that it would not give in to pressure to reconsider those who left without due process or succumb to pressure regarding the matter.
“We told those of them who approached us to go back and begin their resignation processes from their wards and then ensure that it is properly documented in accordance with the NNPP’s constitution.”
“The Constitution of the NNPP (2023, as amended) contains provisions governing the resignation of members, while the Electoral Act, 2026 (as amended), regulates relevant aspects of political party membership, nomination and participation in elections.”
“These provisions are not intended to be observed selectively or disregarded at the convenience of individual members, particularly persons who attained elective public office through the sponsorship, structures and electoral platform of the party.”
It pointed out that the letter to INEC would be updated to include some members elected on its platform in Katsina and Jigawa, who also did not complete their resignation processes.
“We are not scheming for any member to return but the right process must be followed to the letter. We believe in the rights of people to choose where they wish to belong but it must be properly documented as required by law.
“In the event of a post-election lawsuit by their opponents requiring the NNPP to provide records of their resignation, we will do so. As a party, we are firm on issues regarding our constitution and image and we will not renege on that.
“We don’t know the windows open to them now to complete their resignation but we will attend to those who wish to complete the process.
“The electoral guidelines, party constitution and the constitution of Nigeria are specific on the processes and procedures of resignation from a political party.
“We are all witnesses to the fact that elected officers of political parties have been in the abuse of the processes and procedures to be followed when resigning from political parties.”
According to the party, what seems to be the norm is for some of the candidates to claim that there is internal crisis in their previous political parties, and then tender resignation letter at their ward levels.
“Unfortunately most of them didn’t ensure that such resignation letters were documented and recorded at the national secretariat of the party and material evidence obtained.
“The national secretary has the mandate to keep the register of all members of each political party nationwide.
“Any member, who claims to have resigned from a political party and did not ensure that such records were documented and recorded at the national secretariat of the party and material evidence obtained, is deemed not to have resigned.
“It is even funny to note that some elected members of the National Assembly openly resigned their membership of a political party during plenaries. Some didn’t even bother to notify the parties on which platform they were elected.
“This abuse of the people’s mandate for selfish interest must be stopped. The consequences of their ungratefulness are that they never realised that they belong to two political parties, which is against the electoral laws and the Constitution of Nigeria and should therefore suffer the consequences.
“The only members exempted from the resignation saga are those who were expelled from the NNPP, including Sen Rabiu Kwankwaso and Elder Buba Galadima among others.
“The NNPP secured victory at the Abia State High Court, Uzuakoli, Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja and Appeal Court, Owerri, to earn full recognition of the INEC to restore the original logo and field candidates for the 2027 general elections.
“Betrayers, who cannot provide the INEC with a valid record of resignation are deemed members of NNPP and cannot be candidates of any other political party for the purposes of contesting the 2027 general elections,” it added.
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