Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has said no known genuine member or candidate of the party is working against his presidential aspiration.

Recall that earlier in the week, 12 out of 36 governorship candidates on the platform of African Action Congress, AAC, dissociated themselves from the presidential candidacy of Mr. Sowore, vowing not to support him in the 2023 presidential election.

Reacting to this, Sowore, in a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, on Tuesday, told Vanguard that the said governorship candidates have since been expelled from the party for anti-party activities.

He said: “The attention of the National Working Committee of the African Action Congress has been drawn to highly orchestrated and politically induced publications by some individuals parading themselves as candidates of the party.

“The NWC uses this medium to dispel such rumour that no known candidate of the party is working against the Presidential candidate of our party, Mr Omoyele Sowore. Our campaign is waxing stronger by the day and more Nigerians are receptive of our message of liberation.

“The last we know of the elements mentioned in these publications is that they have been expelled from the AAC.

“It is not out of place to say these are dead horses trying to kick after they lost in their plots to trade off the party’s tickets to members of the ruling class who have run the country and the very existence of the mass of our people aground.

“You may recall as it was made public, that part of the internal control mechanism of our party is to ensure that no candidate discusses or goes into any alliance talks with other parties, groups or persons of interests without recourse to the National Working Committee. Intelligence gathered at the level of states and as it concerns these individuals, proved a contravention to the set rules.

“On 28th, December 2022, letters of query bordering on “Gross violation of the constitution, set rules, and directives of the African Action Congress” were sent to these elements by their respective State leaders, in line with Section 81 (4) of the party’s constitution on principle of fair hearing.

“They all failed to show up as at when due.

Just at the time these elements were summoned, they had concluded plans to go into corrupt negotiations with thieving parties, so as to disgrace the party leadership as it is now a known trade among mainstream parties such as the APC, PDP and even LP.

“Upon failure to appear before the disciplinary panels and after being found guilty of act of insubordination; a violation of Section 10 (a), (b) and (c) of the Party’s constitution, and also punishable under Section 80, 2 (a), (b), (c) and (d), the State Executive Committee relied on the powers vested it by Section 81 (3) and in line with Section 81, 2 (a) of the constitution of the Party, expelled them. They were issued expulsion letters separately on 31st December, 2022.”

“We want to assure Nigerians that our party is not a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for corrupt negotiations to shortchange the people of Nigeria. We have made this promise to Nigerians and we shall stand by it come rain or sunshine.

Sowore, however, called on the general public to desist from dealing or hearkening to expelled members of the party.

Sowore said unlike other political parties with different segmentations, the AAC remains united with a common front to winning the February 25th presidential election.

“We hereby seize this medium to further reiterate to members of the public to desist from having any dealing with these expelled elements, in the name of the African Action Congress (AAC).

“Security and Anti-graft agencies are also by this release, notified of the illegality these elements keep perpetrating as “candidates” of the AAC.

“Unlike other crumbling parties, we do not have G-5, G-2 or any segmentation. Our candidates have equal rights and access to information of the day-to-day administration of the party and internal democracy.” (Vanguard)