Court Upholds Judgement Banning INEC From Using MC Oluomo

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos issued an order of perpetual injunction on Friday, February 24, prohibiting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from using the services of Musiliu Akinsanya, better known as MC Oluomo, the chairman of the Lagos State Parks Management Committee, to distribute election materials in the state in 2023.

According to Vanguard, Justice Aneke issued the order in a case brought by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a candidate for governor from the Labour Party, and four other individuals. The other parties involved in the lawsuit are the African Democratic Congress, the Boot Party, and Funsho Doherty and Wale Oluwo, who are the parties’ respective governorship candidates.

Remember that the court issued an interim order on the matter on Monday, February 20, before adjourning to hear the main case. Following a hearing on the main issue on Wednesday, the court postponed delivering its judgment until today, Friday.

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The applicants requested the following reliefs in a move on notice that was submitted to the court by their attorney, Abass Ibrahim: “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 numbered one through five.

Despite having been served with all of the documents in the lawsuit as the court had directed, INEC did not respond to the suit during the hearing on Friday and was not represented by a lawyer.