Court Fixes Friday For Judgment In Suit To Stop INEC From Using Oluomo-led Park Managers
Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke of a Lagos Federal High Court, has fixed Friday, February 24, for judgment in the suit seeking to stop the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from engaging Lagos State Parks Management Committee, led-by Mr. Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, a.k.a. Mc Oluomo, to distribute 2023 election materials and personnel in Lagos State.
The applicants in the suit are: Labour Party, African Democratic Congress, it’s Lagos State governorship candidate and Boot Party and their governorship candidates, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-vivour, Funsho Doherty, and Wale Oluwo respectively.
It would be recalled that the judge had on Monday, while granting an interlocutory injunction filed by the applicants, had restrained the INEC from engaging the Oluomo led-park managers, or any of its commercial bus drivers, to distribute 2023 election materials and personnel in Lagos State.
The judge, while adjourning the hearing of applicants substantive suit, for today, ordered the applicants to serve the restrain order and other processes in the suit on the INEC.
At the resumed hearing of the matter today, counsel to the applicants, Mr. Abass Arisekola Ibrahim, told the court that he had fully complied with the court orders, by serving all processes and the hearing notice on the INEC, but he was surprised that the respondent failed to appear in court.
The counsel thereafter urged the court to allow him move his clients’ motion, which was granted by the court.
In moving the originating motion, the counsel told the court that the motion was dated February 13 but filed on February 16, 2023, and it was pursuant to section 6 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, sections 26 and 27(1)(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
He also told the court that the motion is supported with a 27-paragraph affidavit, written address and exhibits.
The reliefs sought for in the originating motion are: “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 ifs members and/or drivers with INEC to distribute election materials and personnel 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.”
Upon moving the application, the urged the court to grant reliefs sought for therein.
Justice Aneke after listening to the counsel, adjourned the matter till Friday, for judgment.
