Court Upholds Order Restraining INEC From Contracting Oluomo For Materials Distribution

An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from employing the services of the Chairman of Lagos State Parks Management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, to distribute 2023 election materials in the state has been upheld.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Friday, February 24, upheld the order.

Vanguard reports that Justice Aneke gave the order in a suit filed by Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and four others. The other applicants in the suit are: African Democratic Congress, Boot Party, and their governorship candidates, Funsho Doherty, and Wale Oluwo respectively.

Recall that the court had on Monday, February 20, granted an interim order on the issue before adjourning to hear the substantive case. A hearing in the substantive case came up on Wednesday after which the court adjourned till Friday (today) for its judgment.

The applicants through their lawyer, Abass Ibrahim, in a motion on notice filed before the court, had asked for the following reliefs;

“A declaration that the appointment, partnership, or contracting of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee by INEC to distribute 2023 election materials and personnel in Lagos State violates Section 26 and 27 of the Electoral Act 2022 and consequently unlawful, null and void.

A declaration that the appointment, partnership, or contracting of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee (established by Governor Babajide SanwoOlu, the APC gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State) and any of its members and/or drivers by INEC to distribute election materials and personnels in Lagos State will give room for election sabotage, manipulation, and rigging in favour of the APC and consequently unlawful and illegal.

A declaration that the appointment, partnership, or contracting of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its members and/or drivers by INEC to distribute 2023 election materials and personnels in Lagos State is unlawful, wrongful, unjust and/or unreasonable and should be immediately stopped.

An order setting aside any partnership, undertaking, contract and/or MOU of any form or nature executed by Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo, the Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its members and/or drivers with INEC to distribute election materials and personnels in Lagos State.

An order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC and/or their privies or any persons acting under their directions from contracting, partnering of appointing Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo, Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its members and/or drivers to distribute 2023 election materials and personnels in Lagos State.”

The reliefs were listed as ‘reliefs one to five.

At the hearing on Friday, INEC did not file any response to the suit, neither was it represented by any lawyer, despite been served with all the processes in the suit as ordered by the court.