AA crisis deepens as Udeze insist on chairmanship of party

The crisis in Action Alliance (AA) seems to be degenerating, as Kenneth Udeze has insisted on the national chairmanship of the party, with Vernimbe James as secretary.

Briefing the media in Abuja, Udeze said it was unsavoury that some “uninformed” Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and “suspended” AA national officers pronounced him and James suspended from the party.

He described earlier reports of his suspension from the party as incorrect, false and misleading.

The issue of their suspension, he said, is court.

Udeze said, “The matters are sub judice. That being the case, it amounted to affront on the judiciary and executive rascality for someone from INEC to inform us that we are on suspension, which tends to pre-empt the court. That could be regarded as contempt of court.

“It is not for the commission to play the roles of the party and the judge by unilaterally informing us of the suspension and passing its judgement without waiting for the outcome of the cases pending in courts of law.

“Those claiming to have suspended us on June 14 never complied with the party’s constitution on Article 14(3) as well as Sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 of the INEC Guidelines and Regulations of Political Parties 2013. Our purported suspension was an empty threat; hence invalid.”

He urged INEC not to act upon any correspondence from any person or group or attach any probative value to stories suggesting that he and James had been suspended.

According to him, if the commission refuses to wait for the outcome of the cases in court against them by those claiming to have suspended them, they may commence contempt proceedings against INEC.

He added, “We want to make it abundantly clear to all party members across Nigeria and Nigerians that I, Udeze, and James remain AA national chairman and national secretary respectively, until otherwise decided by a competent court of law where the matters are pending.”