NNPP refuses to backdate resignations of defectors ahead of 2027
- The NNPP says it will not backdate resignation letters for elected members who left the party without following due process.
- The party told INEC on October 19 that Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano, 18 Reps members, 28 Kano assembly members and two senators never properly resigned.
- The party says it will add names from Katsina and Jigawa to the letter, and warns defectors risk being seen as members of two parties.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has said it will not backdate resignation letters for elected officials who left the party without completing the required process, warning that anyone asking for such a favour is pushing the party towards falsifying records.
The party made its position known on Sunday in a statement by its founder and chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Boniface Aniebonam.
It follows a letter the NNPP sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, October 19. In that letter, signed by national chairman Dr Agbo Major and general secretary Mr Oginni Olaposi, the party said several officials elected on its platform in 2023 had moved to other parties and were preparing for the 2027 elections without properly ending their NNPP membership.
Those named in the letter include Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, 18 members of the House of Representatives, 28 members of the Kano State House of Assembly and two senators.
Why it matters
The dispute goes to the heart of who can stand for election in 2027. Under Nigerian law, a candidate must be a member of the party sponsoring them. If the NNPP's records show that a defector never formally resigned, opponents could challenge that person's candidacy in court.
The NNPP said it has told those who approached its leadership to go back to their wards and start the resignation process properly, with the paperwork recorded at the national secretariat.
According to the party, the national secretary keeps the register of members nationwide, and anyone who claims to have resigned without ensuring the record is documented is treated as still being a member.
The party said its letter to INEC will be updated to include some members elected on its platform in Katsina and Jigawa who also did not complete the process.
It said it is not trying to force anyone to return, but insisted the law must be followed. The NNPP added that if opponents file post-election suits, it will produce its records.
The party said only members who were expelled, including former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and Elder Buba Galadima, are exempt from the resignation dispute.
It also said it secured court victories in Abia, Abuja and Owerri that led INEC to recognise its original logo and candidates for the 2027 elections.
The NNPP warned that anyone who cannot show INEC a valid record of resignation is still considered its member and cannot run on another party's ticket.
What happens next
The party says it will update its letter to INEC with the Katsina and Jigawa names. How INEC and the courts treat the defectors' status will shape the 2027 candidate lists.
