The solicitors to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding that the commission cease all correspondence on electoral processes with impostors not recognised by subsisting court judgments placed before it.
The party made the demand in a letter addressed to the Chairman of INEC, with attention to the Director of Litigation, on Friday.
The letter, titled “Forwarding of Subsisting Judgments and Court Orders on the Leadership of NNPP,” was signed by the party’s solicitors, Rex Firma LP, and made available to the media on Saturday in Lagos.
“No access code, nomination portal credential, authentication key, candidate-upload authorisation or similar electoral privileges should be issued by INEC to any purported rival faction unrecognised by subsisting judgments of the courts,” the solicitors stated.
According to them, all portal rights and authorisations should be granted to the authentic and judicially recognised leadership of the NNPP under the supervision of Dr Boniface Aniebonam, the party’s founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
They stated that the commission should cease correspondence with those allegedly masquerading as representatives of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, including Dr Ajuji Ahmed, members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and any other unauthorised persons.
“We demand that all electoral communications and related privileges concerning the NNPP be restricted exclusively to the duly recognised leadership affirmed by judgments of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division.”
The solicitors further demanded that INEC refrain from recognising, engaging with or acting upon any communication, request, nomination, sponsorship or instruction emanating from any person or group not authorised by the duly recognised National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees of the party.
They said: “INEC must comply fully with the judgments and orders of the courts unless and until the same are set aside by a competent appellate court.
“The commission should immediately notify all relevant departments, directorates, electoral officers and personnel responsible for political party administration and candidate nominations of the existence and binding effect of the enclosed judgments and orders.”
The solicitors, referring to numerous correspondences on the issue, insisted that since INEC did not appeal the judgments directing it to recognise the faction supervised by Aniebonam, the founder of the party, it is therefore bound to obey the judgments.
“We consider it necessary to remind the commission that by virtue of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), all authorities and persons are under a constitutional obligation to give effect to decisions of courts of competent jurisdiction.
“Furthermore, the commission has an obligation not to take any step capable of truncating or rendering the current enforcement proceedings nugatory.
“These judgments remain valid, subsisting and binding, and collectively preclude the recognition of, or dealing with, any faction, group or persons other than the duly recognised leadership of the NNPP,” they said.
The solicitors also referred to the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, delivered by Justice M.A. Hassan on April 3, 2025, in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/5518/2024: NNPP & 20 Ors. v. Chief Dr Boniface O. Aniebonam & 20 Ors.
They also cited the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, delivered by Justice B. Kawu on March 17, 2026, in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/4800/2025: New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) v. INEC & 16 Ors., and the judgment and orders of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Judicial Division, in Appeal No. CA/OW/271/2025, affirming the authority of the Board of Trustees of the NNPP and the validity of actions lawfully taken pursuant to the party’s constitution.
The solicitors noted that the court directed and compelled INEC to recognise and give effect to the leadership of the NNPP duly constituted at its National Convention held in Apapa, Lagos, on February 4 and 5, 2025.
The court further directed INEC to update and reflect the names and particulars of the duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) in its official records.
“As you know, the court additionally directed INEC to accord full and effective recognition to the said leadership for all purposes relating to the administration and electoral affairs of the NNPP.
“It is particularly concerning that persons who have publicly disengaged from the NNPP and aligned themselves with the ADC continue to lay claim to its membership and leadership.
“Having elected to pursue their political activities outside the NNPP, they cannot validly claim authority to represent, act for, nominate candidates on behalf of, or otherwise exercise any rights belonging to the party, especially in light of the various court judgments.
“In particular, we are informed by our client that certain persons associated with Kwankwaso, Bala Mohammed, Dipo Olayoku and the Kwankwasiyya Movement are actively seeking access to the commission’s nomination portals.
“Consequently, the issuance of such credentials to unauthorised persons would amount to conferring recognition and authority upon them in direct contradiction of subsisting judgments and orders binding on the commission.”
The solicitors added that any other group, subgroup or person claiming authority through or in association with those individuals would be acting contrary to the subsisting judgments and orders of competent courts affirming the lawful leadership of the NNPP.
