2023: “I’m not part of NNPP” – Solomon Dalung

Solomon Dalung, a former Minister of Youth and Sports, on Wednesday said he is “not aware, privy or part of” the forming of a new executive of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that a political platform, The National Movement (TNM), recently formed by a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Monday night formally adopted the NNPP.

Speaking after a seven-hour meeting in Abuja, the interim national chairman of the TNM, John Chris Ifeimeje, was quoted to have said the movement decided to adopt the NNPP to rescue Nigeria in 2023 from bad governance orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ifeimeje was also picked as chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the NNPP. Daily Trust said he named Dalung and Buba Galadima as part of the caretaker committee. Now, Dalung has distanced himself from the development. The All Progressives Congress (APC) member stated that he has ‘not changed his party membership yet’.

Read below Dalung’s full statement, titled ‘Keep Me Out Of Desperate Political Ambition’:

My humble attention has been drawn to media publications associating my name with interim leadership of NNPP in Daily Trust Newspapers and other online media sources. This development is not only strange but also embarrassing to my person. I am not aware, privy or part of such political development.

There are many Coalition Movements restrategizing ahead of 2023 in view of imminent collapse of internal democracy in the two major political parties. The National Movement is one of these like mind political political clustering with the sole intentions of rescuing democracy. I know as a fact that it is about national interest and not political ambition of any individual member.

Therefore including my name on a National Working Committee of NNPP without consent or due consultations is bad political branding technic of desperate politicians. I urge the general public to disregard this action as it does not have my endorsement. Also, those involved should apologize to me for dragging my name into their 2023 power permutations, if they have conscience.

Let me reiterate my commitments to supporting a presidential candidate of Southern extraction who must not be above 60 years of age. I believe that it is in the interest of, fairness, equity, justice, peace and unity to zone power to Southern Nigeria and especially the youths in 2023.

I have not changed my party membership yet, therefore consider that publication as “Fake News”, baseless and unfounded which should be discountenance by all.