Action Alliance: Ogunewe is not our governorship candidate in Imo

The Action Alliance Party says Lincoln Jack Ogunewe is not its gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming governorship elections in Imo state.

In a statement on Saturday, Ifeanyi Okponwa Eze, state chairman of the party, said the process of Ogunewe’s alleged emergence as the flag bearer was not endorsed by the party.

The party chairman called on the public to ignore the “rumour” of the alleged nomination.

“As you could recall on November 11, 2022, a court of appeal sitting in the federal capital territory, Abuja, affirmed Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje as the authentic and only national chairman of Action Alliance against one Kenneth Udeze who has been parading himself as the national chairman of Action Alliance,” he said.

“Also in preparation for the forthcoming governorship election in the state and in line with stipulated guidelines, Action Alliance conducted its governorship primary election in Imo state on April 17, 2023, which was the last day set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for conduct of party primaries for the election.

“The primary produced Ukadike Chinedu Humphrey as the party’s governorship candidate. It is however worrisome and highly embarrassing that the said Kenneth Udeze who was expelled from the party has continued to parade himself as the national chairman of Action Alliance, and has gone as far as trying to deceive members of the public by ridiculously presenting the Lincoln Ogunewe as governorship candidate of the party.

“This is a clear disregard to the subsisting court of appeal judgement which affirmed Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje as the authentic national chairman of Action Alliance.

“The fact that INEC has retained in its website the name Kenneth Udeze as the national chairman of Action Alliance is an indication that the national chairman of the electoral umpire, Mahmood Yakubu, has deliberately decided to operate in contempt to the court of appeal judgement.

“We will, therefore, not hesitate to press contempt of court charges against both Kenneth Udeze and Mahmood Yakubu if they do not retrace their steps. We reaffirm that Ukadike Chinedu Humphrey is the sole governorship candidate of the Action Alliance for the governorship election in Imo State, scheduled for November 11, 2023.”