The deputy governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, in Niger State, John Bahago, has resigned from the party and also withdraw as its deputy governorship candidate.
Mr Bahago, a former member of the Niger State House of Assembly, disclosed this in a letter addressed to his Guni ward chairman dated December 14, 2022.
According to the letter, which was also copied to the chairman of Munya local government of the party as well as the state and national chairmen, Mr Bahago thanked the party for its support to serve as a running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Yahaya Ibrahim-Sokodeke.
Mr Bahago’s letter reads, “I, John Paul Bahago, from Guni ward, Munya local government area, with membership registration, No: 003, write to resign my position as a candidate of deputy governor to Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim Mohammed (Sokodeke) under the platform of NNPP and also resign as a member of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP.
“Thanks for the support given to me to serve as deputy governor of NNPP”.
Although no reason was stated for his action, DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that the state chapter of the party and Mr Sokodeke have been having a running battle over alleged anti-party and criminal allegations.
In July, the state working committee of the party petitioned the party hierarchy to nullify the primaries that produced Mr Sokodeke as its candidate.
The petition was signed by the state chairman, Maman Damisa, alongside 20 officials of the State Working Committee.
The party subsequently conducted a controversial primary that produced a former governorship aspirant of the APC, Idris Malagi.
But Mr Malagi who is still a member of the APC dissociated himself from the purported primary.
Mr Sokodeke also dismissed the primaries, saying he remains the candidate of the party.