There has been significant unrest within the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as multiple factions have disowned Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the party leader. One faction, led by Dr. Gilbert Agbo, declared that Kwankwaso’s suspension by the National Working Committee in Lagos marked the end of his membership in the party. In a symbolic move, they even set fire to the iconic red caps associated with the Kwankwasiyya movement during a meeting in Minna, Niger State. They accused Kwankwaso of being a threat to the party’s progress, along with other allegations of anti-party activities.
Meanwhile, Kwankwaso’s supporters, including Mallam Danladi Umar Abdulhamid, dismissed these actions, calling Agbo’s faction illegitimate. Despite the internal divisions, Kwankwaso’s group continues to assert that he remains the legitimate party leader.
In the South-East, NNPP stakeholders have also distanced themselves from Kwankwaso, showing solidarity with party founders like Dr. Boniface Aniebonam. They emphasized that Kwankwaso’s association with the party had effectively ended after the 2023 elections.