NNPP Crisis: Lawyers Write INEC to Affirm Court-Back Leadership

Lawyers for the New Nigeria People Party, NNPP, aligned with the founder, BONIFACE ANIEBONAM, have again written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, demanding recognition of the party's National Working Committee, with a subtle threat of imminent contempt proceeding. According to the letter dated April 16, 2026, and addressed to INEC Chairman, through the Director of Legal Services, the NNPP lawyers drew the attention of the commission to judgments by two High Courts in Abuja and Abia State, as well as that of the Court of Appeal on March 30, 2026, resolving the party’s leadership in favour of their clients. In the letter signed by IKENNA C. ERUKA Esq of Lex Firma LP, the NNPP lawyers recalled that their clients had repeatedly written to INEC informing the commission about the subsisting judgments, which it failed to act upon, including an order of mandamus of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on March 17, 2026. They noted that despite serving the court decisions and subsequent engagements with INEC, including a request for a meeting, the Commission rebuffed the NNPP’s lawful demands in accordance with subsisting court pronouncements. The law firm noted that INEC’s disposition becomes more disturbing given that those who paraded themselves as a rival faction of the NNPP had since decamped to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.  In view of the foregoing, the NNPP lawyers said the time for equivocation, hesitation, or administrative delay on the part of INEC has long elapsed, adding that continued refusal by the Commission to comply with subsisting court decisions amount to a direct affront to the authority of the Court of Appeal. The NNPP lawyers reminded the Commission that it had unduly drawn the attention of the public to itself based on recent handling of matters touching on the rule of law and constitutional compliance, saying it trust that the Commission would act in fidelity to its constitutional obligation in this instance.