Toba Owojaiye Reporting
The NNPP, a party that garnered significant attention before the election primaries, is currently experiencing a wave of high-profile defections, raising concerns about its stability and future prospects.
Notably, two influential figures, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the former national chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Senator Sulaiman Othman Hunkuyi, who was the NNPP’s candidate in the Kaduna State governorship election held on March 18, have made a surprising move by defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defection ceremony took place on Tuesday and was officiated by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the national chairman of the APC. The shock factor of this move is amplified by the fact that during a period of intense political strife, the former governor of Kaduna, Nasir El Rufai, ordered the demolition of Senator Hunkuyi’s residence.
As the NNPP grapples with this exodus of prominent members, the party is simultaneously embroiled in legal battles to maintain its only gubernatorial seat held by Abba Yusuf, known as “Abba Gida Gida.”
The NNPP’s future appears uncertain as the party navigates these challenges, and the recent defections of its key figures to the APC underscore the broader tumultuous political landscape in Nigeria, with shifting alliances and party dynamics significantly impacting the nation’s political landscape.