NAPPS Leadership Crisis: Abuja court orders breakaway group to cease operations

An Upper Area Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja has intervened in the ongoing leadership dispute at the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), granting an injunction against a parallel group.

The court presided over by Gambo Garba restrained the group allegedly led by Mijinyawa Said and Samira Jibril from organising or participating in the purported NAPPS conference scheduled for 19 to 20 November 2024 at Baze University Abuja or any other venue.

The court order in motion number MT/72/2024 and dated 18 November, a copy of which PREMIUM TIMES saw, restrained the defendants, including their officers, agents, staff, and any other persons acting on their behalf from running or operating a parallel NEC of the association.

“These orders are hereby granted pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” it noted.

Conflicting operations

Meanwhile, the new NAPPS Nigeria Board of Trustees (BOT), Chaired by Abdulmumuni Kundak recently announced its NAPPS International Conference and Exhibition (NICE 2024), scheduled to take place from 20 to 21 November in Calabar, Cross River State.

This conference could have conflicted with that of the parallel group without the court’s intervention.

The group also announced the approval of the 2023 NAPPS Constitution by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to ensure that all governance procedures are strictly aligned with the constitution.

Mr Kundak in his comment noted that the official recognition from CAC distinguishes the duly appointed Board of Trustees of the NAPPS from any other group claiming such authority.

Association celebrates victory

In a statement by the Assistant Secretary Incorporated Trustees of NAPPS, Jen Udochukwu, NAPPS announced its victory in the ongoing proceedings against the “illegal” parallel group.

It noted that the incorporated trustees under the leadership of the BOT chair, Mr Kundakand, the NEC, led by Yomi Otubela, had their prayers granted to restrain the “illegal conference” and prohibit the operations of the parallel NEC.

NAPPS urged members and stakeholders to disregard all activities and communications with the ‘illegal BOT’.

“NAPPS remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the rule of law, fostering unity within the association and advancing the course of private education institutions in the country,” the association said.

“All NAPPS states affiliates, as well as the majority of private school proprietors across Nigeria, are enjoined to note that we have only one NAPPS legitimate body recognised by law. We have only one BOT and one NEC.”