THE Federal High Court sitting in Lagos State has issued a perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from contracting Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, to distribute 2023 election materials in the state.
The court’s decision also prohibits the electoral body from partnering or appointing any of MC Oluomo’s members or drivers to distribute election materials in the state.
The court gave the ruling on Friday, February 24 in a suit filed by the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
Other applicants in the suit included the governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Funsho Doherty and Boot Party, Wale Oluwo.
On Monday, February 20, the court had granted an interim order on the matter before adjourning to hear the substantive case. The hearing in the substantive case came up on Wednesday, following which the court adjourned till today.
Through their lawyer, Abass Ibrahim, the applicants had asked for several reliefs, including a declaration that INEC’s appointment, partnership, or contracting of the MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee violated sections 26 and 27 of the Electoral Act 2022 and was consequently unlawful, null, and void.
Additionally, the applicants sought an order to set aside any partnership, undertaking, contract, and memorandum of understanding (MOU) executed by MC Oluomo, the Lagos State Parks Management Committee, or any of its members and drivers with INEC to distribute election materials and personnel in Lagos State.
The applicants argued that INEC’s partnership or appointment of MC Oluomo and his team to distribute election materials and personnel would create room for election sabotage, manipulation, and rigging in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
INEC did not file any response to the suit nor did the electoral body send a lawyer to represent them in court, despite being served with all the processes in the case as ordered by the court.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke delivered the judgment on Friday, granting all the reliefs sought by the applicants and issuing an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC and its privies or any persons acting under their directions from contracting, partnering, or appointing MC Oluomo, Lagos State Parks Management Committee, or any of its members and drivers to distribute 2023 election materials and personnel in Lagos State.
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