TheCable

The Lagos state branch of the African Action Congress (AAC) has rejected a court order removing Omoyele Sowore as the party chairman. 

In May, a faction of AAC said it had suspended Sowore, presidential candidate of the party in the 2019 elections.

He was said to have been suspended from the party over “failure to convene national executive council (NEC) meeting, financial misappropriation and other anti-party activities,” and Leonard Nzenwa was appointed acting chairman.

On Friday, the federal high court sitting in Abuja held that Sowore should stop parading himself as the party chairman. 

Joshua Adeoye, counsel to Sowore, had argued that his client traveled outside the country before the  matter with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/512/2019 was filed, and therefore was unable to depose to the counter affidavits.

Inyang Ekwo, the judge presiding over the matter, however dismissed the argument. 

But reacting to this development at a press conference in Lagos on Monday, Kunle Ajayi, acting chairman of AAC Lagos, described the judgment as “cut and sew” that should not be allowed to stand. 

“This judgement is copiously biased, neither on logic or merit but on some technical jargons that are unfounded,” he said. 

Agba Jalingo, the AAC chairman in Cross Rivers state, also said their chapter stands in solidarity with Sowore.

“Please, go and tell Leonard that none of them should come near Cross River State, we do not know Leonard, the person we elected is Omoyele Sowore. We cannot follow a leader we do not know,” he said. 

Ahmed Buhari and Adesina Afolabi, party chairmen in Kwara and Ogun also rejected Nzenwa as their leader.

Sam Ajeigbe, the AAC national treasurer, also followed suit, saying Sowore did not spend money belonging to the party.

“In fact, he moved money from his personal campaign account to use for the party,” he said.