A high court in Kano state has invalidated the suspension of Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP),TheCable reports.
In a ruling on an ex parte motion within a suit marked K/M1157/2023 on Tuesday, Judge Usman Na‘abba also prohibited members of the faction responsible for Kwankwaso’s suspension from acting as national officers of the party.
The NNPP’s board of trustees (BoT), led by Boniface Aniebonam, the party’s founder, had suspended Kwankwaso last Tuesday, alleging anti-party activities. Nevertheless, a faction loyal to the former Kano governor overturned the suspension.
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The party’s national executive council (NEC) had established a disciplinary committee to investigate allegations of anti-party activities and mismanagement of party funds against Kwankwaso. He was required to appear before the committee within five days upon receiving the invitation, with the warning that expulsion from the NNPP would be enforced in accordance with the party’s constitution if he failed to do so.
However, in the recent court ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was instructed not to acknowledge the purported suspension pending the resolution of the lawsuit.
The judge’s ruling stated, “An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the respondents by themselves, their agents, cronies and whosoever acting or act through them from parading themselves, issuing press releases or granting Interviews as national officers, leaders or members of the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
“An order of interim injunction is hereby granted setting aside the purported suspension of Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a member of the applicant and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the purported suspension pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The respondents in the lawsuit include Boniface Aniebonam, Gilbert Agbo Major, Tony Christopher Obioha, Oginni Olaposi, Rekia Zanlaga, Mark Usman, Umar Jubril, Adebanju Wasiu, Tajudeen Adebayo, Mamoh Garuba, and Abdurasaq Abdulsalam, among others.
The judge adjourned the suit until October 5.
