Dare Babalola
In a landmark judgment, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday upheld Kenneth Udeze’s position as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA).
The Federal High Court struck out a suit brought by Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, a member of the Action Alliance, after Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered a judgment in the case.
The lawsuit, marked FHC/CS/12/2024, was filed by the plaintiff who contested Udeze’s leadership of the Action Alliance and requested the court to legitimize a national convention purportedly convened in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to the plaintiff, the said convention produced other national executives to pilot the affairs of the party.
In his judgment, however, Justice Egwuatu upheld submissions of Udeze’s lawyer, Mr. Ezenwa Ibegbunam, who challenged the competence of the suit.
Relying on a plethora of decided cases, the court held that the suit lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it.
Reacting to the development, Udeze described the judgment as a landmark decision, saying it settled a protracted leadership tussle within the party.
He said the verdict was not only a vindication of rule of law in the country, but also laid to rest “illegal and fictitious claim over the party leadership”.
Udeze commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for its respect for the rule of law, and for upholding due process in the way it handled the leadership issue.
