The Acting Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Chinedu Obi, has dismissed claims by Edozie Njoku about the party’s leadership, describing his actions as illegitimate and reckless.

Speaking with The Guardian on Wednesday, Obi recalled Njoku’s controversial political history, noting that he was previously a factional chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

He pointed out that Njoku was penalized by the Supreme Court for filing frivolous charges and manipulating party processes while also incurring a fine in the process.

“How can someone who was expelled from one party in November suddenly claim to be chairman of another party by January? Our party constitution is clear: to contest for a leadership position, one must be a registered member for at least a year,” he stated.

The NRM leader also faulted the manner in which Njoku allegedly attempted to take control, stating that the party had followed due process and that any leadership changes must be decided by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Obi also fingered the former national chairman of the party, Isaac Udeh, of working with Njoku to destabilise the party.

He said Udeh had previously faced suspensions and a vote of no confidence from the party’s executives, adding that despite being invited to respond to the allegations against him, Udeh failed to address the concerns, resulting in stagnation within the party.

“For some reason, Justice Omotosho gave a contradictory ruling and as a law abiding party, we said, okay, fine, we cannot challenge the law. The core of NRM is for peace, productivity, and shared prosperity. So, when issues of law come in, the party is compliant. We obeyed that court order that reinstated Udeh, even though we appealed it.

“Now, this man even went into hiding. Until late last year, the party went to INEC to say, we can’t have a chairman who the court has imposed on us, and he’s working elsewhere, taking unilateral decisiond with impunity, including even going against the court order that reinstated him.

“And INEC brought him back to the table and under an Alternative Dispute Resolution, which both the party signed with him, called him to come back to obey the constitution of the party. That was the first meeting he had with the National Working Committee. The second one, he said he’s tired, he wants to leave and that he wants to hand over to Njoku.

“Our party constitution is not a hereditary constitution where you can move your position to another person. Our party convention was held in 2022. The next one will be 2026. Then the man said, he called his family and friends and said he conducted a convention.

“So I do not want to believe that any responsible government will want to be part of this rubbish, and I would not ascribe it to the APC or any other person other than an inordinate ambition of a man who thinks that we’re in a banana republic.”

Obi called on journalists to expose the tactics of individuals he described as “political merchants” attempting to manipulate party structures for personal gain.