The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has cautioned against dealing with its expelled members, parading themselves as national executives.

Hon Robert, NNPP’s national legal adviser, said this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Robert said some former executives had been expelled from the party, saying there was a court of competent jurisdiction restraining order stopping them from parading themselves as NNPP leaders.

He added that the court order had neither been challenged nor vacated.

Mr Robert said all the group’s activities amounted to contempt of court, as the court order was not only served on them but also copied to media houses and organisations.

He appealed to the media to avoid being dragged into flouting a valid court order.

“We also want it placed on record that this group of people who have ceased to be members of our party, even as affirmed by a valid court judgment, have individually and collectively suffered losses at the courts in their misadventures of fighting NNPP.

“We wish to use this medium to appeal to Nigerians to shun these elements who have no locus as far as NNPP is concerned. We make bold to say that they are just a mere group of political adventurists and crass opportunists who themselves know they are only engaged in an illegal and unprofitable venture.

“We have called for this news conference in order to advise the general public to be wary of this renegade group and to avoid doing any business with them on behalf of NNPP, as in the end, it will amount to a violation of the law,” he said.

He added, “We wish to state emphatically that no institution, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, recognises them. And all their efforts to get this elusive recognition through the back door have met with failure.”

On the Saturday elections, Mr Robert said NNPP was prepared to participate in 26 states, urging Nigerians to cooperate with the INEC to deliver a credible election.

He explained, “INEC has published the names of our candidates. We have also uploaded the particulars of our polling agents. We are therefore calling on Nigerians to cooperate with INEC to deliver a credible poll on Saturday.

“In the same vein, as you are all aware, INEC has fixed off-cycle election for Edo and Ondo States to hold later in the year. We have commenced the sale of forms for Edo. The primaries will hold on February 23 to pick our candidate. The sale of forms for Ondo will commence in April.

“At our end here we are very busy with the administration of the party and we will never be distracted by this group of renegade political hooligans.”

He said while the nomination form cost N10 million, the expression of interest was being sold at N1 million.

(NAN)