Sowore not our Chair – AAC

The leadership of the African Action Congress, AAC on Wednesday disowned the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Omoyele Sowore as its Chairman.

Citing reasons, the highest decision making organ of the party claimed that the convener of the RevolutionNow’s utterances and behavior have become a security risk and should be investigated by the security agencies before he plugs the country into crisis.

The party also described Sowore as imposter who impersonate himself as the party Chairman.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the National Chairman of AAC, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa said the letter by Sowore to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC claiming to be the Chairman of the party amounted to impersonation.

Dr. Nzenwa, who is also the National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC said that apart from the court judgement delivered on 12th July, 2019, by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja affirming the suspension of Sowore, the party’s National Convention held in Owerri on 9th August 2019 removed and expelled him.

He 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.

“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).

“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. 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.”

Continuing, he said,” 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.”

He alleged that Sowore on 3rd March, 2021 mobilized some persons to the INEC head office in Maitama Abuja and declared that if by the 15th of March, 2021 INEC did not restore him as the National Chairman of the great Party,” he would mobilize members of gang to shut down INEC offices nationwide.

” Knowing that Mr. Sowore is expelled from the Party and that the people he went with to INEC offices are not members of the Party, our members who were approached have informed us that the ultimate target of Mr. Sowore was to burn some INEC offices from the 15th of March, 2021 and blame same on the rejection of the electoral body so that he can propagate his Revolution Now campaign.

“He believes he has radicalized his members enough to launch this attack hence his declaration at the INEC office that his gang were not afraid of arrest or being jailed. This is clearly a threat to national security.

“The mentioning of INEC offices is just a subterfuge to attack any and every public infrastructure and property within sight in his identified locations. African Action Congress, AAC has nothing to do with this.

“Note also that these latest moves and mobilization by Mr. Sowore are in clear violation of the bail conditions granted him by the Federal High Court Abuja and other courts.

“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 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.”