I remain AA National Chairman, Anifowose-Kelani insists

Dr. Tunde Anifowose-Kelani, has stated that he is the authentic and lawfully recognised National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA) party, while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop any other individual parading themselves as chairman of the party.

Anifowose-Kelani, in a letter written to INEC through his lawyer, Mr. Olaniyi Okin, insists that he is the authentic National Chairman of the AA party pursuant to his election at the party’s convention “properly organised and held on April 13, 2013, under the supervision of INEC for a four-year term which is renewable for another four years, in accordance with the constitution of the party.

He asked INEC, not to recognise Chief Kenneth Udeze and Vemimbe James from parading themselves as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party respectively and also warned the election umpire not to join lawlessness by recognising Alh. Mohammed Abubakar and Mr El Moses as acting National Chairman and acting National Secretary of the party.

Anifowose-Kelani said that his attention had been drawn to a newspaper publication stating that the party’s national think tank committee had ratified the decision made by the party to suspend Udeze and James for alleged anti-party activities and violation of AA’s constitution, adding that the said decision to suspend the duo was made on June 14, 2019, with the representatives of INEC in attendance.

“It was further reported that Alh. Mohammed Abubakar and Mr El Moses were appointed as acting National Chairman and acting National Secretary respectively. We wish to advise that the cause of action in the pending suit in the Federal High Court, Abuja is about the chairmanship position of the party.

“Our client was not allowed to complete his tenure as the elected National Chairman of the party before he was overthrown in the most fraudulent and unconstitutional manner by virtue of a letter of leave of absence which he never wrote as prescribed by the party’s constitution.

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“The cause of action in the said suit concerns a letter dated June 22, 2015, addressed to our client by your office whereby your office purportedly recognised Alhaji Issa Haladu, the then National Organising Secretary of Action Alliance as its Acting National Chairman instead of our client.

“This is pursuant to a fraudulent and unconstitutional letter of leave of absence written by the then national secretary of the party on 6th February 2015, purportedly on behalf of our client. We hope you will obviate the necessity for such action with the inconveniences, expense and negative publicity attendant upon committal proceedings by not taking further steps to jeopardise whatever judgment that will be given by the court,” the letter read.

He expressed the hope that INEC would not take further steps by recognizing the said appointed acting officers which, he said, might have the effect of foisting a faith accompli on the court.

“We will not hesitate to commence committal proceedings for contempt of court against the commission on the occurrence of such event,” the letter stated.

It would be recalled that Udeze had recently said that he and James remained the national chairman and national secretary of the party respectively.

Udeze had stated that their purported suspension from the party was incorrect, false, misleading and should be disregarded by all Nigerians and AA members across Nigeria.