NNPP Vows to Produce Defection Records in Court After 2027 Elections

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has vowed to present its membership and resignation records in court if disputes involving former members who defected to other political parties become subjects of post-election litigation following the 2027 general elections.

The party said it would not bow to pressure to backdate resignation letters for elected officials who allegedly left its platform without completing the required procedures.

The Founder and Chairman of the NNPP Board of Trustees, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, disclosed this on Sunday, warning that altering or falsifying party records to accommodate former members could amount to criminal conduct.

Aniebonam said the party recognised the right of individuals to choose their political affiliations but insisted that anyone leaving the NNPP must follow the prescribed procedures and ensure that the resignation is properly documented.

“We respect the right of our members to join other political parties, but they must follow the laid-down procedures and ensure their resignation is properly documented in line with the law,” he said.

He added that the party would provide its records if the validity of any former member’s resignation became an issue in post-election court cases.

“In the event of a post-election lawsuit by their opponents requiring NNPP to come with records of their resignation, we will do so,” he stated.

The NNPP’s position followed reports that some elected officials who had defected from the party were approaching its leadership to request that their resignation letters be backdated.

Aniebonam said the party had advised those affected to return to their respective wards and begin the resignation process afresh, ensuring that the necessary documents were completed and properly recorded.

He maintained that the party would neither accept incomplete resignation procedures nor alter its records to accommodate individuals who failed to comply with its constitution.

The controversy followed a letter the NNPP said it sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on October 19, notifying the electoral body that several elected officials who secured their mandates on the party’s platform in the 2023 general elections had allegedly failed to fulfil the requirements for leaving the party.

Those identified by the NNPP include Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, 18 members of the House of Representatives, 28 members of the Kano State House of Assembly and two senators.

According to the party, the affected officials had moved to other political parties and were seeking to contest the 2027 general elections without completing the required resignation procedures.

The NNPP argued that resignation from a political party must follow established procedures and be properly documented in its official membership records.

Aniebonam said the party’s national secretariat was responsible for maintaining its membership register, stressing that public declarations of defection or resignation letters that were not properly recorded could lead to disputes.

He also criticised elected officials who, according to him, announced their departure from political parties without ensuring that the necessary formalities had been completed.

The party maintained that it would not prevent members from choosing other political platforms but insisted that they must comply with the applicable rules.

The dispute highlights the potential for legal challenges over party membership, defections and eligibility to contest elections under different political platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.