TheCable

The African Action Congress (AAC) says Omoyele Sowore remains its chairman and presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.

On Wednesday, a faction of the AAC led by Leonard Ezenwa, said Sowore, who was the party’s 2019 presidential candidate, will not be representing the party in 2023.

According to the statement issued by Sylvester Cletus, the factional spokesperson, Sowore was removed from the party in 2019 for violating the party’s constitution, and misappropriation of funds.

But reacting to the development on Thursday, Femi Adeyeye, AAC national publicity secretary, described Cletus’ statement as “false news to smear the image of the party and its leaders”.

Adeyeye said Sowore is the authentic chairman and presidential candidate of the party, adding that Ezenwa who lays claim to the party chairmanship was expelled after he was found guilty of misappropriation of AAC finances.

“Setting the records straight, we wish to reiterate, for the umpteenth time, that these elements spreading fake news in the media are not members of our party. And the leader of this rogue squad was expelled as far back as 13th May 2019, after being found guilty of misappropriating party funds, gross sabotage, and numerous anti-party activities,” the statement reads.

“It should be clear that this rejoinder is not aimed at replying to a statement written by non-members parading themselves as party leaders. But it is rather a piece to inform the public and members of the press about the situation in the party, which is stable and moving very fine.

“As a matter of education, let it also be known that Sowore occupying the chairmanship position of the party and being its presidential candidate, is not unconstitutional or immoral.

“The first Convention held on 6th October 2018 ratified the protem officers of the party as substantive office bearers. The decision came as a result of the circumstance of the party, which was just a few months old, and was getting prepared for the 2019 elections, thus requiring that all hands were on deck to ensure victory.

“It is also not immoral as we have seen from cases in the rich political history of our great country. Founding fathers of the country such as Obafemi Awolowo in the Action Group and later in the Unity Party of Nigeria in 1951, Nnamdi Azikwe in the NCNC and later in the Nigeria Peoples Party, were both leaders of their parties and the leading flagbearers of their parties at national elections in the 1950s, 1960s, 1979 and 1983. Also, the political gadfly, Chief Gani Fawehinmi was both the presidential candidate and Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP).

“The African Action Congress is a party entrenched in democratic tenets and it has processes and steeped in lessons from our history. At the appropriate time, there shall be a change in the leadership structure by the democratic will of party members.

“To lay the matter to rest, is to ask our friends in the media to disregard this news and to send it to the trash can of history where it belongs. Sowore remains a staunch member of the party, a leader of leaders and a Presidential aspirant in the 2023 elections.”