AA Leadership Crisis: Udeze Faction Seeks to Strike Motions at Appeal Court
The ongoing leadership tussle within the Action Alliance (AA) has taken a significant new turn as the faction led by Chief Kenneth Udeze has initiated legal maneuvers to halt proceedings at the Court of Appeal, Akure Division. The Udeze-led camp has formally filed an application seeking the withdrawal of two specific motions—CA/AK/268M/2025 and CA/AK/309M/2025—arguing that continuing with these matters serves no practical purpose in light of existing judicial decisions.
Background of the Legal Conflict
This latest development follows a September 29, 2025 judgment by the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, which ruled in favor of a rival faction led by Chief Adekunle Rufai Omoaje. However, the Udeze camp maintains that this Osogbo ruling cannot override existing and subsisting decisions of the Court of Appeal, which had earlier affirmed Udeze as the authentic National Chairman of the party.
In a statement issued by the National Secretary of the party, Vernimbe James, the leadership emphasized that multiple judgments of the Court of Appeal—including one delivered on January 26, 2024, by the Abuja Division—have consistently recognized Chief Kenneth Udeze as the lawful and substantive chairman of the AA.
Supreme Court Involvement and Legal Arguments
The statement further clarified that the issues involving Adekunle Rufai Omoaje and others are already pending before the Supreme Court. The appeal at the apex court, marked SC/CV/162/2024, is between Omoaje and others and Chief Uzewuru Nwachukwu and others, challenging the earlier Court of Appeal judgment.
According to the Udeze-led faction, the existence of this pending Supreme Court case underscores their argument that pursuing fresh motions at the Court of Appeal amounts to a duplication of issues already before a higher court. They contend that, by the doctrine of hierarchy of courts, the Federal High Court lacks the authority to overturn binding decisions of the Court of Appeal, which remain valid and enforceable until set aside by the Supreme Court.
Implications and Next Steps
As the Akure Division of the Court of Appeal prepares to hear the application, legal observers and party members are now focused on whether the court will agree to strike out the motions or allow the legal battle within the party to proceed. This development highlights the deepening crisis within the Action Alliance, as rival factions continue to seek judicial validation of their claims to the party's leadership.
The situation reflects broader tensions within Nigerian political parties where internal disputes often escalate to multiple court levels, creating complex legal scenarios that can impact party unity and electoral prospects. The outcome of this application could set important precedents for how similar intra-party conflicts are handled in Nigeria's judicial system.
