The protracted leadership crisis rocking the Action Alliance (AA) has been put to rest as the Supreme Court, on Tuesday, affirmed Chief Kenneth Udeze as the authentic national chairman of the political party.
The apex court specifically dismissed an appeal challenging the Chief Udeze-led National Working Committee (NWC) of AA.
Justice Lawal Garba, who presided over the appeal, dismissed it for want of diligent prosecution.
Hon. Fredrick Ighiwiyisi had appealed against the Appeal Court’s judgement that affirmed the leaderahip of Chief Udeze.
He joined Osaro Uwaifo, AA and Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) as respondents in the matter.
The appeallant, however, abandoned the appeal.
The Supreme Court in its ruling held that, “The motion of 10th October, 2024 for the dismiss, stricking out of the appeal on ground of want of prosecutior was served on the 23″ October, 2024 on the Appellant anc there is no record that he had taken any step to prosecute the appeal since then. The said appeal is dismissed for want of prosecution.”
Shortly after the appeal was dismissed, Chief Udeze said the dismissal had settled the leadership crisis in the party.
He said the focus of the party now was the 2027 general election as there was no longer anything stopping the party from winning elections in 2027.
Recall that in the build-up to the 2024 Edo State governorship election, Hon. Frederick Ighiwiyisi had filed an action in court, challenging the primary election of the Action Alliance wherein Chief Osaro Uwaifo was nominated as the governorship candidate of the party for the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election.
It will be recalled that the Action Alliance held its primary election on February 24, 2024, and nominated Chief Osaro Uwaifo as the candidate of the party for the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election.
However, Hon. Frederick Ighiwiyisi challenged the validity of the primary election on the grounds that the national executive committee of the Action Alliance led by Chief Kenneth Udeze, which conducted the primary election, was not the authentic national leadership of the party.
The suit, which was strongly contested, was dismissed and the Court held that by virtue of the extant judgement of the court which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, the national executives of the Action Alliance led by Chief Kenneth Udeze remains the authentic national leadership of the party and any primary election conducted by him was valid and lawful.
Dissatisfied, Hon. Frederick Ighiwiyisi appealed to the Court of Appeal and his appeal was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal by a unanimous decision; and also affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court that Chief Udeze remains the valid and authentic national chairman of the Action Alliance with the power to conduct primary elections of the party.
In his continued challenge of the national leadership of the Action Alliance, Hon. Frederick filed an appeal to the Supreme Court but failed to diligently prosecute same as a result of which the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal.
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