A lawsuit filed by allies of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso against the current leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has been struck out by a High Court in Abuja.
The case, filed by Dr. Ahmed Ajuji and 20 others who support Kwankwaso, attempted to question the authority of the party’s current leaders. They had asked the court to stop key party figures from performing their duties, including organizing party meetings, conventions, and other internal activities.
The lawsuit specifically targeted the leadership team led by the party’s founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, along with National Chairman Dr. Agbo Major. Other names mentioned in the suit included National Secretary Oginni Olaposi, Deputy National Chairman Chief Felix Chukwurah, and party legal adviser Tony Obioha.
The plaintiffs claimed these officials were no longer members of the party, saying they had been expelled and therefore could no longer act on behalf of the NNPP.
However, in a ruling delivered on Thursday, April 3, Justice M.A. Hassan said the court had no legal power to decide on the issue. He noted that leadership disputes within political parties are classified as internal matters and are not open for court judgment unless they directly relate to how a party selects its candidates for public elections.
“The position of the law, as upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, is clear: courts do not adjudicate on matters that fall within the internal affairs of a political party, except in cases relating to the nomination of candidates for elections,” the judge stated.
