The Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kaduna state, Mr Ben Kure has said that he has resigned his position as state chairman and is no longer a member of the party.
Kure said contrary to the report that he was removed by the State working committee of the party, he had tendered his resignation to the National Secretariat of the party since on December 6, 2022.
While addressing a press conference in Kaduna, Mr Kure alleged that the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, did not allowed him to operate freely for the good of the party in Kaduna state.
According to him, “having done the best I could, it’s time to move on with my life. My experience with NNPP in Kaduna is regrettable. I do not ever hope to have anything to do with majority of the state Exco members.”
“I therefore wish to inform you and all my supporters and associates that I have resigned as the Kaduna State chairman of NNPP and I am no longer a member of the party. I will take a rest, reflect on my political future and inform the public appropriately.”
“I wish to inform you that I had forwarded my letter of resignation to the National Secretariat on December 5, 2022 but was persuaded to stay in order to settle all issues amicably.”
“We were invited and held a meeting, and last week the National Secretariat ordered us to meet and plan for the state rally and solidarity walk under my leadership, but the candidate and his supporters refused to comply with the National Secretariat directive.”
He said he was democratically elected as Chairman of the state chapter of the party and since then, made efforts to steer the affairs of the party to the best of their ability to reposition it as a major player in the political affairs of the state.
“Under our watch, the party had nominated candidates to contest for various positions in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections, including the gubernatorial candidate who emerged based on the goodwill of the party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.”
He however lamented that since then, the party had remained divided and efforts to engineer any massive mobilization to woo new members and retain the initial goodwill of the people, was stalled.
“Since my election as the State Chairman of NNPP, I came in full of passion and enthusiasm to do what is necessary for the success of the party.
”When I came in, people were trooping in their numbers, showing acceptance of our leadership and the party, seeing it as an alternative platform to bring about the desired change in the affairs of Kaduna State.
He however, observed that few months to the general elections, the party had remained virtually invisible at a time of heightened campaign and mobilization of voters.
When journalists contacted Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, he simply said, “I have no comment”.