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AAC disowns Sowore over threat to shut down INEC
By Okodili Ndidi Abuja
The African Action Congress (AAC), a political party, has distanced itself from threats by its sacked National Chairman and 2019 Presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore to shut down the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices nationwide if it fails to recognize him as the party’s Chairman.
The Party insisted that Sowore has not only been removed as National Chairman of the party but also expelled over various proven allegations of financial recklessness and misappropriation of party funds.
It also accused Sowore, the #RevolutionNow promoter of abuse of the party’s constitution and carrying out criminal actions, under the name of the party.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, AAC National Chairman, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, stated that, “our attention has been drawn to ongoing mobilization to hide under the name of our great party to wreak havoc on and burn down INEC offices nationwide, attack other public infrastructure and cause mayhem across the nation.
“Only last week, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC that I led bemoaned the state of insecurity in the country wherein we called on Mr. President to declare a State of Emergency on National Security even as we condemned in strong terms actions of some State and Non-State Actors in fanning embers of disunity through their speeches and actions.”
He continued that, “same last week some group of people led by one Omoyele Stephen Sowore, a former member of our great Party, who was not only suspended and removed as National Chairman of the party but also expelled over various proven allegations of financial recklessness and misappropriation of party funds, abuse of party constitution, high-handedness etc started displaying and carrying out dangerously criminal actions, under the name of our great party thereby committing various crimes thereof.
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“African Action Congress, AAC is indeed appalled by acts of a man who now appears to have relapsed and clearly is manifesting psychopathic and delirious behaviour after his expulsion since 2019.
“Following various Judgments and Orders of different Courts of competent jurisdiction affirming I, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), our great party has been enjoying peace and order and cordial working relationship with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders in the electoral process in the country.
“Following the commission of various acts of financial recklessness and misappropriation of party funds, abuse of party constitution, high-handedness, intimidation and threat of party members including greedily double-rolling as party National Chairman as well as Presidential Candidate in 2019 presidential polls exposing him as a tyrant, Omoyele Sowore was removed as National Chairman and later expelled as a member of the African Action Congress (AAC).
“Based on the Constitution of the African Action Congress (AAC), Dr. Leonard Nzenwa was appointed as the Acting National Chairman of the Party. Later on the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in Suit No: FCT/CV/1874/2019 procured by Mr. Sowore for one Mr. Abugu Bako, affirmed the appointment of Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the Acting National Chairman of AAC.
“Additionally, another Court of competent jurisdiction per the Honourable Justice I. E. Ekwo, J in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/512/2019 delivered judgment on 12th July, 2019 affirmed the suspension of the former National Chairman, Omoyele Sowore and validated the appointment of Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the Acting National Chairman of AAC. A copy of the Enrolled order is now attached as Annexure AAC2;
“That in the exercise of his constitutional rights, the said Omoyele Sowore filed an Appeal at the Court of Appeal and which is still pending before the Court. A copy of the Notice of Appeal is now attached and marked Annexure AAC3.”
Ezenwa continued that, “after he went on appeal and could not perfect his brief with his lawyers, he now resorted to self-help and descended so low as to turn around to procure one Samuel Onah, a known Motor Park ballyhoo in Nyanya, outskirt of Abuja to dress and impersonate as a native doctor and brought him into the hallowed chambers of the court to scare, intimidate and ridicule members of the bar and benches thus desecrating the temple of justice in the process.
“Furthermore, our great party on 9th August 2019 at Owerri, Imo State held its National Convention, wherein the formerly suspended Omoyele Sowore was duly removed as the National Chairman of AAC and also expelled from the party; and the exercise was duly monitored by INEC in line with the law and this was widely reported across all media.
“Following the vacuum created by the removal and sack of Omoyele Sowore, the National Convention of AAC, which is the highest decision-making organ of the party duly proposed and elected Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the National Chairman of the African Action Congress at the said and he has been exercising his duties without let or hindrances till date.
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“Arising from the foregoing, we make bold to state categorically that the said Omoyele Sowore is.unknown to the African Action Congress (AAC) and therefore has no basis for laying any further claim to the National Chairmanship position of the party or in any other manner holding out himself as such. He is also not in control of any structure of the party at any level or indeed any members of the party.
“Regrettably, in violation of these Orders of various Court and the terms of the election of Dr. Leonard Nzenwa as the National Chairman of the AAC by the National Convention of the Party, Omoyele Sowore by a letter dated 2nd June 2020 wrote to the Chairman of INEC wherein he held out himself and signed as the “National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC)”. The said criminal action of Omoyele Sowore as expressed in the letter was reported by his online media propaganda and blackmail outfit Sahara Reporters.
“In submitting the said letter to INEC, Omoyele Sowore came with busload of his criminal support group drawn largely from his “Revolution Now” an outlaw gang currently under watch by the security agencies. In the process, Omoyele Sowore flagrantly disturbed public peace at the INEC headquarters, incited his outlaw group to disturb the peace of the public place, caused immeasurable nuisance.
“Again on the 3rd March 2021 Mr. Sowore again mobilized a gang of fiery looking hireling to the INEC head office in Maitama Abuja and a visibly angry Sowore declared to his gang that if by the 15th of March, 2021 and INEC does not restore him as the National Chairman of our great Party, he would mobilize members of his gang to shut down INEC offices nationwide”.
“Based on the foregoing, we wish to state in clear terms that action of Omoyele Sowore in writing the said letter to INEC and signing as National Chairman when he knew it was false amounted to the criminal act of impersonation and making false information. This is because Sowore dishonestly and fraudulently wrote the said letter in order to impersonate the National Chairman of AAC with an intention of causing INEC to believe that the said letter emanated from the authentic National Chairman of AAC who had the authority to make it.”
