NNPP insists on congresses despite INEC failure to comply with court orders

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) says the party is going ahead with its congresses that will culminate in its national convention with or without INEC’s obedience to court orders ordering the commission to recognise the Dr Agbo Major-led leadership of the party.

This is contained in a statement by the party’s founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, on Saturday in Lagos.

“Our programme of action to conduct congresses, primaries and conventions has been submitted to INEC, and we are going on to participate in all elective positions, including the presidential, in 2027,” Aniebonam said.

He said that INEC had continued to delay in uploading the NNPP National Working Committee led by Dr Agbo Major as ordered by the courts.

“The delays by INEC in obeying the court orders as well as the leadership tussle in court over the years denied the NNPP and its members many opportunities to participate in various elections nationwide.

“In view of the above, we decided to go ahead and hold our congresses and convention while waiting for INEC to comply with court orders.

“We can no longer afford to deny our members the opportunities to participate in elections in Nigeria.

“The 2027 general election is a major one, and time is fast going to prepare for the election and allow members to indicate positions they wish to contest for,” he said.

According to him, the NNPP will not give up the battle to get INEC to update its records and recognise the leadership of the major-led national working committee.

‘`We had expected that INEC would obey the court order.

“Unfortunately INEC did not obey, and we decided to approach and engage the commission to know why it’s disobedience to the court orders when there is no stay of execution, setting aside or an order of a court stopping it from being obedient to court orders.

“Court orders supersede INEC’s decisions and actions, including the internal disciplinary measures of a registered political party.

“The experiences in the matter of Rotimi Amechi and the Zamfara declaration are one example.

“It’s also important that INEC should not forget in a hurry about the late Arthur Nzeribe’s experience stopping elections when his party was disenfranchised from participation.” (NAN)