Kano Lawmaker Parts Ways with Kwankwaso’s NNPP Faction

Rt. Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, the representative of Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure Federal Constituency in Kano, has publicly distanced himself from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) faction led by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Instead, he has aligned with the faction led by Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, the party’s founder.

Rurum, a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, declared on Sunday that he recognizes the NNPP led by Dr. Aniebonam—represented by a fruit logo—as the legitimate wing of the party, dismissing Kwankwaso’s faction, which operates under a book logo.

In his statement, Rurum urged Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to act autonomously, free from the influence of Kwankwaso. “My loyalty remains with Governor Yusuf,” Rurum said, reassuring Kano residents and his constituents that Governor Yusuf has the capability to make decisions in the best interests of the state.

Addressing speculation about a possible defection, Rurum affirmed his commitment to the NNPP under Dr. Aniebonam’s leadership, while sharply criticizing Kwankwaso for allegedly using the party for personal ambitions. “Dr. Boniface provided Kwankwaso with a platform, and it is wrong to take the party from him and treat him poorly,” Rurum stated.

Following Rurum’s announcement, another Kano lawmaker, representing Dala Federal Constituency, also severed ties with the Kwankwasiyya movement, calling on his supporters to abandon the iconic red cap associated with the ideology.

This shift in party allegiance comes after a recent ruling from the High Court in Abia State, presided over by Justice C.U. Okoroafor. On November 1, 2024, the court ordered that control of the NNPP be handed over to its Board of Trustees, chaired by Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, in response to a suit filed by three NNPP members in Abia aimed at resolving the party’s ongoing leadership crisis.