Kawu, three others dismiss NNPP suspension, call it a sham
The Kano Chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party has suspended four senior party members, including the Senator representing Kano South, Senator Kawu Sumaila, along with Ali Madakin Gini, Sani Abdullahi Rogo, and Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, over allegations of anti-party activities.
The party’s chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, announced the suspension while addressing journalists on Monday.
According to Dungurawa, these National Assembly members were elected under the NNPP platform but have recently engaged in actions that contradict the party’s principles, values, and objectives.
He noted that they were given party tickets during the elections, yet, instead of showing loyalty, they had been working against the party’s interests.
A key incident that triggered the suspension was Senator Kawu Sumaila’s daughter’s wedding and the commissioning of projects at his university in Sumaila.
Dungurawa expressed surprise that the event was attended mostly by individuals who had previously opposed Kawu, while no NNPP members were invited.
The party chairman stated, “A committee will be set up to investigate the matter and address it once and for all.”
He stressed that there was still room for dialogue and that if the suspended members apologised and sought forgiveness, the party might consider reinstating them.
It is worth recalling that during the wedding fatiha of Senator Kawu Sumaila on Friday, prominent members of the All Progressives Congress, including the party’s National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, were present at the event in Sumaila.
We reject sham suspension
Meanwhile, the four NNPP lawmakers swiftly rejected what they described as their purported suspension by an illegitimate Kwankwaso-backed faction in Kano.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Senator Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, and Sani Abdullahi Rogo, and released to journalists on Monday.
“Hashimu Dungurawa, a political puppet of Kwankwaso, lacks any credibility to speak on NNPP matters. His so-called ‘suspension’ of Senator Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, Hon. Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini, and Hon. Sani Abdullahi Rogo is nothing but a fraudulent political gimmick designed to deceive the public and distract from the monumental failures of Kwankwaso’s faction.
“The truth remains that the Abia High Court judgment of November 1, 2024, affirmed Dr Boniface Aniebonam as the only legally recognised NNPP leader, expelling Kwankwaso and his loyalists. Their continued attempt to impose themselves on the party is nothing more than an act of political desperation,” the statement read.
They, therefore, called on the public to reject “this circus of lies and deceit,” adding, “We remain committed to strengthening the NNPP under its legitimate leadership and ensuring that the party serves the people, not the selfish ambitions of Kwankwaso and his cronies.”
According to them, “Politics should be about service, integrity, and development—not a tool for vendettas and dictatorship. Unfortunately, in Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has turned the NNPP into his personal empire—one that disregards party unity, democratic principles, and even basic courtesy.
“His refusal to attend the wedding of Senator Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila’s daughter and the convocation of Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, despite formal invitations, exposes his deep-seated political insecurity.
“His deliberate absence, especially in the presence of APC National Chairman Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin, former Governor Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, and other national figures, was a petty and calculated attempt to undermine political opponents.
“Yet, rather than focusing on governance or building the party, Kwankwaso has weaponised division and manipulation. His failed grip on the NNPP is evident in his endorsement of Hashimu Suleiman Dungurawa and his illegitimate faction—now resorting to laughable tactics like issuing a baseless ‘suspension’ of party leaders.
“This reckless move is not just illegal; it is a desperate act by a faction that has already been expelled from the NNPP and holds no authority whatsoever,” the statement added.
