NNPP expels Kwankwaso after he refuses to appear before its disciplinary committee

FORMER Kano State governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has been expelled from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for whom he stood as its presidential candidate in the last elections for failing to appear before its disciplinary committee.

In August, Senator Kwankwaso was suspended for six months by the board of directors for alleged anti-party activities. In a shock development, the board also suspended the NNPP's national working committee (NWC) and several leading members of the party, who stood accused of hobnobbing with the Al Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party, without authorisation.

Now, following Senator Kwankwaso's refusal to appear before the party's disciplinary committee, the NNPP has taken the controversial step of expelling him with immediate effect. Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq, the party's acting publicity secretary, said: “The NEC met in an emergency session on Friday, September 1 and resolved as follows:

“Following the refusal of Senantor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to appear before the disciplinary committee, which sat on Thursday, August 31, after being duly invited in writing, he is hereby expelled from NNPP with immediate effect. That the erstwhile presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will be reported to appropriate quarters to answer questions on financial impropriety relating to mismanagement of public funds.”

In what has been a turbulent two months, the NNPP’s crisis began on August 24, when the party’s leadership loyal to Senator Kwankwaso announced the suspension of the party’s founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major. This appeared to create two factions, who have been at each other's throats ever since.