By Nkechi Eze
The political leadership crisis rocking the Action Alliance (AA) took another legal turn on August 6, 2025, as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, ordered the Nigeria Police, the Inspector General of Police, and other named respondents to maintain the status quo and halt any action against the party’s National Chairman, Chief Barr. Kenneth Udeze, and other members of his executive.
Presided over by Hon. Justice Chizoba N. Oji, the court directed the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja, and ACP Yakubu Sule, whether acting personally or through their officers, agents, servants, privies, or otherwise described to stay all further action in respect of an invitation letter dated July 10, 2025. The order covers any further invitations, interrogations, or arrests of Udeze; National Secretary, Vernimbe A. James; National Treasurer, Ekeng Effiom Effiom; National Financial Secretary, Alhaji Ali Abacha; and National Legal Adviser, Barr. Emeka Anukwuem.
The directive, according to the court, will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice in the ongoing fundamental rights enforcement case before it.
In an official statement, National Secretary Vernimbe A. James disclosed that the court also granted leave to the Udeze-led leadership of AA to serve court processes on the Inspector General of Police, the FCID, and ACP Yakubu Sule through the Legal Department of the Nigeria Police Force at Force Headquarters, Abuja. Additionally, the court granted leave to serve the 5th Respondent, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, whom the party accuses of instigating police action by substituted means, through pasting the processes at a conspicuous place at his residence in Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja.
The court further deemed these methods of service as proper and adjourned the substantive motion for the enforcement of fundamental rights to 11 a.m. on August 26, 2025, ordering that hearing notices be issued to all respondents.
The Action Alliance accused Omoaje, an expelled former member, of resorting to police intervention after losing multiple court battles over the party’s leadership. The party cited a series of rulings, one from the FCT High Court, three from the Federal High Court, four from the Court of Appeal, and one from the Supreme Court, all in favour of the Udeze-led leadership.
According to the party, Omoaje still has an appeal pending at the Supreme Court SC/CV/162/2024, between Adekunle Rufai Omoaje & Others vs. Chief Uzewuru Nwachukwu, Kenneth Udeze, Action Alliance, and INEC challenging the leadership. However, instead of awaiting the outcome, the party alleged, Omoaje has been pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the National Chairman, despite his expulsion.
The AA leadership urged INEC to resist what it described as “external forces” and to continue recognising the Udeze-led executive, which it said was affirmed by multiple court judgments and the party’s February 22, 2025 National Convention, duly monitored by INEC officials.
In a related development, the party expressed concern over what it called “the disturbing action” of the Nigeria Police against Omoyele Sowore, National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC). The AA called for Sowore’s immediate release or for him to be charged to court if there are any allegations against him.
