NRM Alleged Plot To Hijack Party Leadership Through Courts

National chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Chinedu Obi, has accused a factional politician, Edozie Njoku, of attempting to hijack the leadership of the party through what he described as “forum shopping” and judicial manipulation.

At a press conference yesterday at the party’s national secretariat in Garki, Obi insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not in breach of any court order concerning the party’s leadership dispute.

He said the briefing was convened to alert Nigerians to alleged attempts by certain individuals to blackmail the electoral body and unlawfully take control of the party through the courts.

According to Obi, the alleged effort is being sponsored by Njoku, whom he described as the Supreme Court–sacked factional national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Obi said Nigeria’s democracy faces serious threats from individuals seeking to undermine the rule of law and internal party democracy, warning that such actions could weaken the country’s electoral system.

He recalled that in a unanimous judgment in November 2024, the Supreme Court of Nigeria dismissed Njoku’s claims to the APGA leadership and effectively removed him from the position.

Providing background to the dispute within the NRM, Obi said the party’s former national chairman, Isaac Chigozie Udeh, was suspended on September 19, 2024, by his polling unit in Amafuo over alleged anti-party activities and gross misconduct.

The party’s National Management Committee later passed a vote of no confidence in him on September 23, 2024, while a National Executive Committee meeting was scheduled for January 2025 to ratify the disciplinary actions.

Obi alleged that before the meeting could hold, the suspended chairman allegedly teamed up with Njoku in an attempt to destabilise the party by unilaterally notifying INEC of an emergency national convention without approval from the party’s leadership organs.

He said under the party’s constitution, only the National Executive Committee has the authority to convene a national convention.

According to him, when the notice of the convention was submitted, INEC quickly observed that it did not comply with the party’s constitution and the commission’s guidelines and communicated its position to the party within 24 hours.

Obi said the party subsequently distanced itself from the proposed convention and warned that it was an attempt to hijack the party structure.

He further explained that Njoku and the suspended chairman later approached the Federal High Court of Nigeria seeking an order compelling INEC to monitor the alleged convention.

The court, presided over by Justice Egwuatu, later issued an order on March 5, 2025, directing INEC to monitor a convention of the party.

Obi said the NRM complied with the order by organising an emergency national convention on April 14, 2025, which was duly monitored by INEC and whose outcome has been recognised by the commission.

However, he accused Njoku of attempting to misinterpret the court judgment by claiming it authorised a separate convention allegedly held on January 17, 2025, where he purportedly emerged as NRM national chairman.

Obi said the convention was “imaginary” and held without the approval of any party organ or the presence of INEC.

He also argued that Njoku was not qualified to contest any leadership position within the party at the time because the NRM constitution requires at least 12 months of continuous membership before one can hold elective office.

According to him, as of November 2024, Njoku was still presenting himself as APGA chairman before being removed by the Supreme Court and had not obtained any waiver to contest in the NRM.

The NRM chairman commended INEC officials for resisting what he described as intimidation and blackmail aimed at forcing the commission to recognise the alleged convention.

He also warned that those behind the plot were allegedly attempting to revive contempt proceedings against the new INEC chairman in order to pressure the commission.

Obi called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to caution judicial officers against the activities of forum shoppers who claim they can influence court judgments.

He also urged the media to intensify investigative reporting to expose individuals working against Nigeria’s democratic system.