The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has strongly denounced Oginni Sunday, labeling him an impostor and dismissing his recent statements on former Governor of Kaduna State as baseless.
The party’s leadership affirmed that Sunday, who claimed to be NNPP’s National Secretary, had long been expelled and held no authority to speak on its behalf.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, refuted Sunday’s assertion that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s claim of federal government interference in the party’s affairs was untrue.
Johnson made it clear that Sunday and his associates had been removed from the party due to anti-party activities.
“The question of faction as erroneously being reported in the press does not arise. It’s absolutely uninformed, a misplaced identity, and should be discontinued henceforth,” Johnson stated.
“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.”
Addressing El-Rufai’s comments, the NNPP acknowledged that the former governor’s claims might hold some truth, pointing to the past actions of individuals it described as impostors.
The statement cited instances where these expelled members allegedly sided with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during crucial political events, including the tribunal case involving Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Emirship dispute, and local government elections.
“Having supported the position of the APC 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 apologists or covert agents of the APC,” the statement read.
NNPP called on the media and the public to disregard statements from individuals who have been expelled, emphasizing that their removal followed due process and had been upheld by the courts.
The party reaffirmed its unity and legitimacy, urging journalists to verify its official position through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
