The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general election, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday met in Lagos, to “strategise” ahead of the 2027 general election.
This is just as the National Chairman of the NNPP, Agbo Major, has stated that the faction of the party led by Kwankwaso remains expelled from the party. However, details of what the two men discussed at the meeting held at Aregbesola’s Lagos residence could not be immediately ascertained.
THISDAY gathered that the two leaders ‘held a marathon meeting in Lagos where they strategised on the 2027 election,” a party source told an online news platform.
The development comes days after Omoluabi Progressives, Aregbesola’s political group, left the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The spokesperson of the group, Abosede Oluwaseun, had said members resolved to quit APC because of “ostracisation from the party, suspension and expulsion of leaders without fair hearing, and continuous denigration of the structure”.
Days later, the APC in Osun expelled Aregbesola over alleged anti-party activities.
Aregbesola, who was the governor of Osun from 2010 to 2018 on the platform of the APC, also served as a minister during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023.
Ahead of the 2027 general election, discussions about forming a coalition to challenge the APC have been gaining momentum.
Also, politicians across opposition parties have been holding “strategic meetings”.
In November, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar hosted Peter Obi, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), to a breakfast meeting at his residence in Adamawa State.
In January, Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, Hamza Al-Mustapha, the ex-aide to the late Sani Abacha, and other politicians met in Abuja.
The meeting was convened by the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PDP), Shehu Gabam.
Kwankwaso, who was a two-time governor of Kano State, was also the presidential candidate of the NNPP in the 2023 elections.
On Friday, the National Chairman of Kwankwaso’s faction of NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed, said while the party is not currently in coalition talks, it is not ruling out the possibility.
Meanwhile, the factional National Chairman of the NNPP, Agbo Major, has stated that the faction of the party led by Kwankwaso remains expelled from the party.
The Kwankwaso’s faction had rejected Tuesday’s convention that led to Major’s election as the party’s new National Chairman.
The faction insisted that the convention held in Lagos State was illegitimate and that Dr Ajuji Ahmed remains the only recognised National Chairman of the party.
Speaking on behalf of the faction with journalists, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, had described Major’s faction as a renegade group.
But addressing a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Major said Tuesday’s convention was legal and backed by a recent court judgment.
He said, “The recent judgement of the Abia High Court dated November 1, 2024 unequivocally compelled INEC to hand our party to its Board of Trustees led by Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, pending the resolution of all issues in court(s). You also recall that the same judgement mandated the BOT to activate all other organs of the party as contained in the party’s constitution (2022 as amended) to enable it to run seamlessly.
“In total compliance with this court judgement, all necessary correspondences were made with INEC and on the 13th of January 2024, the congresses commenced with Wards nationwide. It continued days after with the local government and states as well as the zones.
“However, the national convention, which was to be held on 22nd January 2025, was temporarily halted due to an interim order of an FCT High Court. It was, however, concluded on the 4th of February 2025 at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa Lagos after the life span of the interim order elapsed.”
Major said the high points of the convention included the ratification of all congresses held from ward to zonal, the ratification of the expulsion of Kwankwaso and the Kwankwassiya group from the party.
He added that other high points included the review of the party’s finances, rejection of the purported new logo and approval to revert to the old logo, amongst others.
“The high points of the convention included the ratification of all congresses held from ward to zonal, the ratification of the expulsion of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima and the entire Kwankwassiya group from the party following the expiration of the MoU that brought them, the election of a new National Working Committee led by me Dr Agbo Major as national chairman (list attached), a review of party’s finances, rejection of the purported new logo and approval to revert to the basket of fruits on Nigerian map logo amongst others.
“It is worthy of note here that the Dr Aniebonam-led BOT, on February 4, 2025, completed the assignment as directed by the Abia High Court. All relevant submissions have been made to INEC, and we are sure that changes in INEC records will be effected in the next few days. I urge the body to do what is right in compliance with the rule of law.
“We once again call on the remaining remnants of the Kwankwassiya group to peacefully exit our dear party and find cover somewhere as their leaders are presently doing,” he said.
