The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports claiming it disregarded a Federal High Court order concerning the leadership tussle within the Action Alliance (AA).
In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, INEC described the reports as “misleading” and a deliberate attempt to misrepresent a corporate issue as an individual matter.
Olumekun said the Commission’s attention was drawn to media stories suggesting that a Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, had ordered the arrest of former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for allegedly failing to comply with a judgment related to the Action Alliance leadership crisis.
He explained that the reports ignored the Commission’s subsequent actions to comply with the court’s directives, following the judgment delivered on September 29.
“In line with its long-established tradition of always obeying court judgements and orders, the Commission on Monday Oct. 6, which was still within the deadline, filed processes at the Federal High Court, Osogbo to show that we had complied with its judgement and order of recognising the AA executive elected on Oct. 7 2023 at Abeokuta, Ogun State.
“The dashboard of the Commission’s website showing compliance was tendered as evidence,” Olumekun said.
He explained that when the judgement creditors later argued that INEC had only listed four national executives of the party without including the National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, the Commission responded accordingly.
According to him, INEC’s response included the Notice of Appeal filed by Omoaje himself at the Supreme Court, where he is challenging the Court of Appeal’s judgment that removed him as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance.
Olumekun clarified that the Court of Appeal’s judgment remains binding and takes precedence over that of the Federal High Court, which prevented the Commission from listing Omoaje as the party’s national chairman while the appeal remains pending.
He urged media organisations to verify facts and exercise caution in their reporting to prevent misinformation and protect public trust in judicial and institutional processes.
