Aggrieved members sue AA party chair over conduct of national convention

Some members of the Action Alliance (AA) have sued Adekunle Omo-Aje, the party’s national chairman, over the conduct of the national convention.

The aggrieved members led by Ugochukwu Ogbuji, deputy national publicity secretary of the party, filed the suit before a federal high court in Abuja.

Ogbuji said the national convention ought not to have been conducted since the current tenure of the national executive committee (NEC) members was yet to expire.

“They went to Olusegun Obasanjo’s Library in Ogun State on October 7, 2023, and do what they called selective election without the consent of the National Working Committee (NWC) and NEC of the party,” he said.

“There was no meeting that was held that the NWC took a decision that we should have a national convention.”

Ogbuji alleged that some of those who attended the convention were not members of AA.

According to NAN, Ogbuji said the plaintiffs did not bother to explore the internal mechanisms of the party to settle the dispute because Omo-Aje would not listen to advice.

The plaintiffs are praying the court to set aside the convention which was held on October 7.

They also want the court to compel Omo-Aje to produce his senior secondary school certificate examination (SSCE) certificate which is the minimum qualification required to be the national chairman of AA.

“We are now approaching the court that if such a person has the basic requirement, he should present it to the court,” he said.

“That is what makes him to be the national chairman. We are saying that the court should ask him to produce it.

“Let us know if he has it or not. For now, we have not seen it. Let him present it to the court.”

Other plaintiffs in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1447/2023, include Esther Esevohare, national women leader; Deborah Banjo, national treasurer; Samuel Oboro, financial secretary; Mike Madu, national youth leader; Chinedu Ukadike, an ex-officio of south-east; Sunday John-Bull, the ex-officio of south-south, and  Isa Haladu.

The defendants are Omo-Aje, Suleiman Abdulrasheed, Miller Orgwu, Ademola Adekanbi, Awolola Awofala, Sanni Darma, Solomon Okhanigbuan, and Joshua Adewole.

Others include Wasiu Adeyemo, Joke Adebayo, Jummai Umar, Ahmadu Gambo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 10th to 14th defendants respectively.

Responding, to the allegations, Omo-Aje insisted that the national convention was conducted in compliance with the party’s constitution and guidelines for the election.

He added that all the due notices were given to the appropriate authorities and members.

He said the convention was initially scheduled for August 17 while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was duly notified.

Omo-Aje noted that many members did not buy the forms to represent federal character spread which forced the convention to be postponed.