The Kogi State Chapter of the Action Alliance has distanced itself from its governorship candidate, Olayinka Brahimoh, after he instituted a suit to challenge the governor-elect, Alhaji Usman Ododo, winner of the November 11 governorship poll in the state.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olu Omotoso, said the decision was taken during an emergency National Executive Committee meeting of the party.
The party’s national chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, according to the statement, clarified the party’s position, saying the AA is not inclined to pursue legal action against the governor-elect.
He explained that after emerging as the candidate, Brahimoh operated without consulting the party.
Omoaje expressed dissatisfaction with Brahimoh’s decision to approach the judiciary without the party’s endorsement, saying, “From the moment INEC published the final list of candidates for the Kogi governorship election, Olayinka Brahimoh, our adopted candidate for that election, deliberately built an edge around himself against the party, making it difficult to relate with him.”
He detailed the party’s attempts to engage with Brahimoh, stating that the latter refused to collaborate with the party’s leadership.
He narrated an incident involving the Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Isa, who was left without communication during his team’s stay in Kogi State.
“Consequent upon the aforementioned, we are stating clearly here that our party, the Action Alliance, has no hand in the matter before the Kogi State Governorship Election Tribunal, and we say unequivocally that we are not interested in the matter at all”, he said.