… Says Oginni does not speak for party
The National leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has thrown its weight behind the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-rufai, on his allegations against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
El-Rufai, who defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), had recently alleged that the ruling party was behind the crisis in the opposition parties.
His allegations have caused concern among some politicians.
A factional NNPP National Secretary, Oginni Sunday, faulted the allegations on Thursday, saying the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, said Oginni does not speak for the party as he has been expelled.
Johnson said he should not be associated with the party or his statement taken as an NNPP statement.
He said, “Oginni and his cohort are not members of the party and do not constitute a faction in fact or in Law. They have no authority to speak on behalf of the NNPP.”
Speaking on the comments attributed to former governor Nasir el-Rufai, he said, “Such tendency could probably be true because of the past behaviour and positions taken by the Dr. Boniface Aniebonam-led former members, now acting as impostors.
“It is true that the former Kaduna governor, El-Rufai, is stating the obvious going by the antecedents of these impostors. During the Tribunal case involving Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, these renegades publicly supported the APC and similarly did so during the Emirship tussle and the Local government election.
“Having supported the position of the APC as against that of our party NNPP, and at times going out of their way to issue press statements in this regard, anyone in his or her right senses would naturally be of the opinion that these people are not members of the NNPP but are apologists or covert agents of the APC!
“But of course, they are not our members and the public, particularly the press, should see them as such by cross-checking our factual position here with INEC.
“We do agree, though, that the public perception that they are acting out the script of their paymasters is logical and seems convincing. So to that extent and indeed going by the latest spurious claims by one faceless Oginni Sunday, there’s a sense in el-Rufai’s assertions that some evil hands are behind the nefarious activities of these impostors.”
The party reiterated that the case of Oginni Sunday, like other were carefully weighed in the past and party guidelines were followed before their expulsion from the party, adding that their expulsion had been upheld through pronouncements of the courts at different times.
