A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has validated the suspension of Omoyele Sowore, the national chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC).
Mr Omoyele, the 2019 presidential candidate of the opposition party was suspended alongside his cabinet members by some aggrieved members of the opposition party.
Those who suspended him accused their candidate of siphoning funds raised for the election, among others. Leonard Nzenwa, another member of the party was named as acting chairman.
Reacting to his suspension, the AAC candidate who publishes Sahara Reporters, expelled Mr Nzenwa and his gang from the party, saying they were earlier suspended by the party over alleged misconduct.
The expelled members approached the court seeking the nullification of their expulsion and recognition as the authentic leadership of the AAC.
Delivering judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo, also affirmed the appointment of Dr. Leonard Nzewa as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
The judge also granted the prayers contained in the suit also seeking the validation of the decision of the party’s National Executive Committee to suspend Sowore and his leadership for six months at its meeting held on March 27, 2019.
Justice Ekwo said the publisher and his leadership did not follow due process by failing to personally depose to the counter-affidavit to the petition against them.
“Anybody who does not take a suit instituted against him seriously must prepare to bear the brunt of his carelessness,” the judge ruled, despite the argument of John Adeoye, counsel to the defendants that his clients were not in the country for the exercise.
