Alleged impersonation: Stakeholders give factional AA chair, secretary 7 days to resign


Some party leaders, under the aegis of the Concerned Stakeholders of the Action Alliance (AA) hav given it factional chairman Hon Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje and Secretary, Suleiman AbdulRasheed a seven-day ultimatum to resign from the party over alleged impersonation and forgery.

They also threatened to expel Omoaje and AbdulRasheed should they fail to quit honourably.

The group, among other things, accused their embattled factional leaders of impersonating the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Bende Constituency at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Abia State.

In a statement signed by its president and secretary Dr. Lukman Mohammed and Alhaji Bako Jibrin, the party leaders said the pair are a disgrace to the Action Alliance and everything it represents.

Even when Ifeanyi Igbokwe announced that he would not be challenging the outcome of the election, the statement said Omoaje and AbdulRasheed filed a petition in his name.

It also said that while a formal criminal complaint will soon be made to security agencies, Omoaje, and his cohorts must quit the party and end their dirty deals forthwith.

“We have received reports of two rascals impersonating our leaders and tarnishing the name of our great party. We don’t recognise them as our members.

“These two have brought shame and disrepute to the Action Alliance with their criminal activities ranging from impersonation, forgery, and bribery.

“The latest involved Mr Ifeanyi Chukwuka Igbokwe, a candidate for Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State. It is on record that he withdrew interest when he found out that a faction of the party conducted the primary election.

“While he has made his position clear over time, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje and Suleiman AbdulRasheed forged documents to challenge the outcome of the election on his behalf.

“We have endured these two for a long time and calls from different quarters have been ignored. We are by this press statement giving them seven days to resign their membership of the party.

“This is not like other calls. We will also file a criminal complaint to security agencies to arrest and prosecute these two. Alongside other stakeholders, we will also consider expelling them from the AA. Our party is not a hub for criminals”.

The embattled National Chairman of Action Alliance (AA), Dr Adekunle Omo-Aje, while responding to the allegations said his recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s authentic faction after several court judgments is a victory for democracy.

Omo-Aje stated this recently while addressing the newsmen at the party’s national headquarters on Abuja said within the last 18 months or thereabout, our party was thrown into an orchestrated crisis that succeeded in setting leaders against themselves, and members alike.

“Our belief in God, and unshakable faith in becoming winners was part of the energy that fueled our resolute belief and determination,” he said.