BIMPE ADEYEMI
THE African Action Congress, on Wednesday, called on security agencies in the country to investigate its Presidential Candidate in the 2019 election, Omoyele Sowore, over alleged criminal activities and his utterances and behaviour, which the party said, had become a threat to national security,
The AAC claimed that Sowore, who is the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, had since been expelled from the party over alleged financial recklessness, misappropriation of party funds, abuse of party constitution, and high-handedness, among others.
National Chairman, AAC, Leonard Nzenwa, while addressing journalists, said Sowore had begun to display psychopathic behaviour after his expulsion in 2019.
He faulted a letter by Sowore to the Independent National Electoral Commission, where he claimed to be the Chairman of the party, saying it amounted to impersonation.
Nzenwa also disclosed that a court judgement delivered on July 12, 2019, by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja affirmed the former presidential candidate’s suspension, adding that the party’s National Convention, held in Owerri on August 9, 2019 removed and expelled him.
The National Chairman said, “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 lead 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.
“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.”
He added, “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.
“Before we proceed, it is pertinent to draw your attention to the following compelling and unassailable facts:
“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-roleing as party National Chairman as well as Presidential Candidate in 2019 presidential polls, exposing him as a tyrant, etc, Omoyele Sowore was removed as National Chairman and later expelled as a member of the African Action Congress (AAC).”
He said, based on AAC’s Constitution, he (Nzenwa) was appointed the Acting National Chairman of the party.
The party noted, “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. A copy of the Order is now attached as Annexure AAC 1.
“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 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.
“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.
“In recognition of my little effort to deepen and entrench electoral and democratic process in Nigeria, umbrella body of political parties in Nigeria, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC elected my humble self as its National Chairman and have been helping to integrate, as well as grow the party within the body of Nigeria political parties as well outside it. The body has established robust relationship with all stakeholders including (INEC) over this period.”
It therefore said Sowore was unknown to the African Action Congress and therefore had no basis for laying any further claim to the National Chairmanship position of the party.
“He is also not in control of any structure of the party at any level or indeed any members of the party,” the AAC noted.
Faulting the letter to INEC, the party said, “We wish to state in clear terms that the action of Omoyele Sowore in writing the said letter to INEC and signing as National Chairman when he knew it was false amounted to 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.
“Similarly, action of Omoyele Sowore also constituted a criminal act of furnishing false information. By giving the false information to the INEC Chairman that he is the National Chairman of the AAC, publishing same and operating a rogue website and social media handles for same, Sowore has committed a criminal offence of furnishing false information to a public servant and other stakeholders which he knew to be false and has no reason to believe.
“We, therefore, call on all relevant security agencies, as a matter of great national importance, to kindly commence immediate investigation of the above criminal acts with a view to arresting and prosecuting Omoyele Sowore for the various criminal offences disclosed, where there is evidence of commission of offence, forthwith.”
