NNPP suspends ex-Ondo guber candidate, running mate over ‘anti-party activities’

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Ondo has indefinitely suspended Olugbenga Edema, its governorship candidate in the 2024 election, and Rotimi Adeyemi, his running mate.

In a letter dated March 3, the duo was suspended alongside Israel Ayeni, a party member, for alleged anti-party activities and violations of the party’s constitution.

Peter Olagookun, the Ondo NNPP chair, and 12 other state working committee (SWC) members, signed the suspension letter for the three politicians.

Olagookun said they were suspended for “suing in the name of the party without recourse to the appropriate stakeholders in both the state and national level according to our party constitution”.

“Suing the party without exhausting internal resolution mechanism as provided by the party’s constitution and involving in anti-party activities,” he added.

Edema lost the November 16 gubernatorial election to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ahead of the polls, Edema filed a lawsuit at the federal high court in Akure seeking to disqualify Aiyedatiwa and compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the APC candidate’s nomination.

He said Aiyedatiwa and his deputy were elected during an invalid party primary.

The ex-NNPP candidate said the primary election was in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, adding that the court should interpret the application of section 15 of the third schedule to the 1999 Constitution.