Action Alliance National chairman alleged  threat to life

Action Alliance National chairman alleged  threat to life

 

By: Femi Mustapha

 

National chairman of the Action Alliance Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje has raised the alarm over the threat to his life by some individuals suspected to be working for a member of the House of Representatives.

 

Omoaje alleged that the same member of the House of Representatives has mounted severe pressure on him to withdraw all charges filed against him at the Appeal Court.

 

He therefore called on security agencies in the country to come to his rescue and prevent his life from being eliminated.

 

He said he had been inundated with calls of threat by unknown people at the recent time.

 

Omoaje alleged that he had received a series of calls from known and unknown personalities pleading that his party (Action Alliance) should withdraw the appeal filed against the ruling of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Abia State.

 

He said the threat may not be unconnected to the appeal filed by his party against the tribunal judgment as many individuals are already pleading for the withdrawal of the appeal.

 

Recalled that the Action Alliance had challenged the victory of Hon Kalu Benjamin Okezie representing Bende federal constituency in the House of Representatives and lost at the Elections Petition Tribunal but is currently before the Appeal Court to challenge the tribunal verdict.

 

Before now, there had been insinuations that the three-member panel of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Abia State dismissed the case instituted by the AA against Hon Okezie, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and members representing Bende federal constituency of Abia State on technical ground.

 

The Action Alliance had petitioned the tribunal following the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload the name of the candidate submitted by the Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje led national executive of the party.

 

The AA had nominated the name of Hon Ifeanyi Chukwuka as its House of Representatives candidate for the House of Representatives before the last general elections.

 

To this end, both the party and the candidate approached the tribunal, and the matter generated interest from various stakeholders from both within and outside the state.

 

It was gathered that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) allegedly showed interest in the matter, as the party won the election and the candidate, Hon Okeze eventually emerged as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

While expecting the tribunal to fix a date for the final judgment on the petition filed by the AA, it was learned that the matter was allegedly withdrawn by one Kenneth Udeze, who had since been suspended and subsequently expelled from the party.

 

Udeze who reportedly withdrew the matter was alleged to be an impostor and an impersonator as he has no link to the party, having been expelled by the National Think Thank committee, which is the highest ruling organ of the party.

 

It was learned that the purported withdrawal of the petition prompted the tribunal panel made up of Justices Samson, Paul Gang, Kabiru Ibrahim Ahmed, and Abdulfatai Baba Sekoni to dismiss the petition.