Calling Oginni a terrorist is highpoint of hatred, ignore petitioners – NNPP Founder tells IGP
The founder and chairman, Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Boniface Aniebonam has written to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, asking him to disregard a petition written by aggrieved members of the party against the Ogun state chairman, Comrade Olaposi Oginni.
Aniebonam in the two-page letter noted that the crisis was merely internal matters of NNPP which shouldn’t have been reported at the police station.
There were reports in some sections of the media on Wednesday that the police had arrested the Ogun NNPP chairman over allegations bothering on financial misappropriation, fraud, money laundering, and financing terrorism in some parts of the country.
While describing the petition as false and trumped-up allegations, the NNPP founder urged the police boss to allow the internal mechanism of the party to resolve the differences between its aggrieved members.
He stressed that Oginni remains a loyal member of the NNPP, adding that the board which is the highest authority of the party has nothing against the Ogun State Chairman.
On allegation that Oginni has been expelled, Aniebonam noted that the purported expulsion from NNPP is inconsequential, stressing that whoever is associated or involved with such conduct do not have such powers to do so.
He added, “Mr. Olaposi Ogini is well known to me as a loyal member of NNPP and the current Chairman of Ogun State NNPP. Anything to the contrary is not known to me as the Chairman board of trustees including the false and trumped up allegations.
“Please refer to the alleged expulsion from NNPP as being inconsequential, whoever is associated and or involved with such conduct do not have such powers to do so except the decision of the board/leader and the national convention assembly in particular.
“IGP sir, please just understand that all of these are merely internal matters of NNPP which is usually treated internally. It is most unfortunate that despite the effort of the Ogun state command of the Nigeria police who had advised all parties concerned to wait for the outcome of the court process these people neglected the advise of a constituted authority.
“It is my hope that the outcome of your investigation shall put to rest these avoidable circumstances and disrespect for rule of law and order.»”
The NNPP Founder further said, “IGP sir, it is constitutional in NNPP charter that the board is the conscience of the party with powers to call to order any member of the party who acts against the norms of our constitution. In this regard I do passionately appeal to you to return all my children to me to resolve their differences.
“And for the avoidance doubts I had invited all concerned to Lagos office for the purposes of resolving the matter and thereafter withdraw their case in court. Unfortunately the petitioners did not attend for whatever reason.
“It is to me that someone at the hqrs of NNPP is stoking this matter for personal gains. IGP sir, Mr. Olaposi Ogini is a bona-fide member of NNPP and the Chairman of NNPP Ogun state extant. He is a good citizen of Nigeria and a loyal member of NNPP.”
Speaking on money laundering and financial terrorism allegations, Aniebonam noted, “Mr. Olaposi Ogini is not involved in money laundering, the money 7.5m naira I am told belongs to NNPP and taken away forcefully from NNPP office in Ogun state. The money is not found in Mr. Olaposi Ogini’s personal house and I guess the subject matter is before a court in Ogun state at the moment.
“To allude that Mr. Olaposi Ogini is a terrorist over internal matter of a party is the highpoint of hatred among brothers. Mr. Olaposi Ogini is not a terrorist and should be disregarded. On the issue of anti party activities, it is an internal matter which must be treated through a due process of disciplinary procedure.
“The NWC of the new NIGERIA PEOPLES PARTY may have acted in haste, deceit, personal malice and in breach of the constitution to expel Mr. Olaposi Ogini. They do not have the powers to do so constitutionally. It is most disheartening. embarrassing and shameful the impunity of disrespect for rule of law and constitutional provisions by persons in authority as it were.
“It is my hope and passionate appeal that you release Mr. Olaposi Ogini to go back to NNPP office in Ogun state to continue with his statutory duty as the Chairman.
“The CP Ogun state had already told them to keep the peace of the party and the society. I am the father of NNPP members as the Founder of the party and all of them are my children. None of them is closer to me including Mr. Olaposi Oginni.”
The Ogun NNPP has been engulfed in crisis following a fallout between Oginni and the governorship candidate over the ownership of a petition filed by the party before the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
Oginni had filed a petition before the Tribunal, challenging the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the March 18 election.
The party in the election petition with suit number; EPT/OG/GOV/01/2023 dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, Governor Abiodun, and his party, APC before the Tribunal over an alleged omission of the NNPP’s name on the ballot papers used for the governorship and assembly elections held in the state.
But, Oguntoyinbo who wanted to take control of the petition filed an application to change the counsel of the party.
The tribunal, however, rejected the appeal, insisting that Oginni remains the owner of the petition.
The court while dismissing the petition based on Oginni’s request also unanimously affirmed the Ogun NNPP Chairman as the original owner of the petition filed by the party.
The NNPP governorship candidate in an attempt to get hold of the party’s affairs reportedly made a move by allegedly conniving with the National Working Committee to announce Oginni’s expulsion from the party.
While Oginni was relying on a court order restricting the party from expelling him, the founder described the purported expulsion as unconstitutional and illegal.
Aniebonam while insisting he was not aware of the expulsion, noted that the action of the party’s working committee does not have his blessings.
The NNPP Founder stressed that the party’s NWC did not follow due process and procedures in the expulsion of Oginni as Ogun chairman.
Aniebonam explained that the national convention of the party has the final authority to expel a member, stressing that it is beyond the NWC to publicly announce Oginni’s expulsion without due process.
