Omoyele Sowore remains AAC chairman – INEC condemns suspension

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says Omoyele Sowore remains the substantive national chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC).

In a letter dated May 14 and seen by TopNaija.ng, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the commission’s secretary, said Sowore’s purported suspension by the party cannot hold.

She said there is no evidence of the meeting in which Sowore was suspended, as some of the party leaders had claimed.

Mazi Okwy, a member of the AAC national executive committee (NEC), had announced the suspension of Sowore, adding that one Leonard Nzenwa had been appointed acting chairman.

Okwe based the action on “failure to convene national executive council (NEC) meeting, financial misappropriation and other anti-party activities”.

Sowore dismissed the suspension and subsequently expelled Nzenwa while he suspended top members of the party.

The INEC secretary said the commission will continue to relate with Sowore as the national chairman of the party.

The letter read: “There is no documentary evidence that a meeting of the AAC National Executive Committee was convened by the National Chairman as required by chapter 9 section 59(a) of the AAC constitution.

“The party did not provide a 21-day notice of the NEC meeting as required by section 85(1) of the Electoral Act 2010.

“There are no minutes or evidence of attendance of the AAC National Executive Committee meeting where the National Chairman and eight others were purportedly suspended.

“Accordingly, the Commission shall continue to recognise and relate with Mr. Sowore Omoyele as the substantive National Chairman of the AAC.”