The internal turmoil within the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State has intensified following a decision of the Kano State High Court affirming the suspension of the party’s state chairman, Hon. Hashimu Suleiman Dungurawa, by his Gargari Ward in Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Zuwaira Yusuf of High Court 13 issued an interlocutory injunction restraining Dungurawa from presenting himself as the Kano State Chairman of the NNPP pending the resolution of the substantive suit before the court.
The order arose from a motion ex parte dated 30 December 2025, filed by Shuaibu Hassan alongside nine other NNPP members from Gargari Ward against Dungurawa and the party.
The applicants urged the court to validate the disciplinary action that resulted in Dungurawa’s suspension, which stemmed from allegations of denigrating the office and personality of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, fomenting internal division within the party, and failing to remit party dues.
While granting the application, Justice Yusuf ruled that the suspension should remain effective until the motion on notice is heard and determined.
“An order is hereby made that the suspension of the 1st respondent on the 30th of December, 2025 shall be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the judge held. She further barred Dungurawa from holding himself out as the state chairman of the party.
“The 1st respondent is hereby restrained from parading himself as Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in Kano State following his suspension from his ward,” Justice Yusuf added.
The court also directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante as it stood after 30 December 2025 and ordered that all court documents be duly served on the respondents. The suit, marked KN/1218/2026, was adjourned to 19 January 2026 for the hearing of the substantive motion.
In the meantime, the NNPP State Executive Council has announced Hon. Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya as the Acting State Chairman of the party in Kano State. His emergence followed an emergency meeting of the NNPP State Executive Committee held at the party’s state secretariat in Kano.
Announcing the development, the party’s Assistant Legal Adviser, Yusuf Mukhtar, said the decision aligned with the provisions of the NNPP constitution.
“The State Executive Committee, after careful deliberation, has affirmed the nomination of Hon. Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya as the Acting State Chairman of the NNPP in Kano State,” Mukhtar stated.
He explained that the move was necessary to guarantee stability and continuity in the party’s leadership structure following the suspension of the former chairman.
“This action is in strict compliance with the constitution of our great party and is aimed at preserving unity and order within the NNPP in Kano State,” he added.
The unfolding developments represent another critical phase in the lingering leadership struggle within the NNPP in Kano State, a situation that analysts say could shape the party’s political fortunes ahead of future electoral contests.
What you should know
The Kano State High Court’s ruling legally reinforces the suspension of NNPP chairman Hashimu Dungurawa and prevents him from acting as state chairman until the substantive case is decided.
The decision has prompted the party’s state executive to appoint an acting chairman to avoid a leadership vacuum.
This crisis comes amid wider political tensions within the NNPP in Kano, where internal divisions could affect party cohesion, influence Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s political base, and impact the party’s performance in upcoming elections if not swiftly resolved.
