NNPP says Kwankwaso factional wrangling, INEC delay halt Lagos LG poll ambition

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The New Nigeria People’s Party has explained why it is not fielding candidates in Saturday’s local government council election in Lagos State.

The election is being held across the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas in the state.

Mr Ogini Olaposi, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, described the move as regrettable but necessary, citing limited options available to the party at the time.

“We regret to inform all members of our great party, that it is indeed most unfortunate and regrettable that despite the double victory judgments we received, we could not put our house in order for effective campaigns and participation.

“In the build-up to the election, we were still immersed in internal wrangling, following the move by the Senator Kwankwaso-led group to hijack the leadership of the NNPP,” Olaposi said.

He explained that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s failure to update the party’s official records worsened the situation.

“We were also delayed by the inability of INEC to amend our old records and upload our authentic National Working Committee, led by Dr Agbo Major, on its server,” he said.

According to Olaposi, these setbacks made it impossible for the NNPP to field candidates for the local government election — a first since the party was founded and registered in 2001 by Dr Boniface Aniebonam.

Olaposi noted that there was nothing so much to worry about as issues of logo and leadership had been resolved.

“It was on the strength of the issues that after an emergency meeting of the NEC on Friday in Abuja, we decided to direct our members in Lagos, led by Mrs Anikè Adebowale (state chairman) on which party to vote for.

“To effectively win in an election, you must not just fill in candidates, you should also be ready for serious campaigns in all wards and areas of the election which we did not do.”

Olaposi said in spite of the current challenges, the party leadership had urged members to support a party that shares a similar political ideology with the NNPP.

Fifteen of the 28 registered political parties are participating in the election.

(NAN)

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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