The Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its national chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, until July 14, 2024, to comply with an earlier judgment that mandated the uploading of Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje’s name as the national chairman of the Action Alliance (AA) on its official portal. Failure to comply will result in severe consequences.
The court reaffirmed its previous ruling, which recognizes Omoaje and the other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, elected at the 2023 elective convention held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as the legitimate national chairman and executives of the party.
Additionally, the court ordered INEC to upload the names of the party officials on the commission’s portal, as originally required in its ruling delivered on March 11, 2025. The court stressed that any actions contrary to this requirement will attract sanctions.
During the resumed hearing of the case between Action Alliance and INEC before Justice Funmilola Dem-Ajayi, the court reiterated its earlier order, emphasizing that the March 11 judgment still stands and will not issue any further rulings until compliance with the original judgment is achieved.
Both Omoaje and Action Alliance had previously filed contempt suits against INEC and Prof. Yakubu for failing to adhere to the court order reinstating Omoaje as the national chairman.
Justice Funmilola Dem-Ajayi expressed concern over INEC’s disobedience, noting that the commission had not uploaded Omoaje’s name on its portal four months after the judgment was rendered.
Counsel for INEC, Mr. Hammed Mohammed, informed the court that he had an application to file, to which the court instructed him to do so before the next adjourned date set for July 14, 2025. Mohammed claimed that INEC had partially complied with the court order by recognizing the state chairmen elected at the 2023 convention held under Omoaje’s leadership. However, the court insisted that the order must be fully obeyed, not partially.
It is essential to note that in March, the court ruled that the convention organized by Udeze was null and void, affirming that the only recognized convention was the one conducted at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta in 2023, which resulted in Omoaje’s election as the national chairman.
Furthermore, the court confirmed that the NEC of Action Alliance, as constituted on October 7, 2023, led by Omoaje, remains the authentic and lawful leadership of the party, declaring any claims to the contrary as baseless. The court also clarified that the official address of the national secretariat of the party is located at Plot 955, number 17, Femi Otedola Crescent, off Seventh Avenue, Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Justice Dem-Ajayi specifically declared that any attempts by any individual or group to operate from an unauthorized location would be regarded as a deliberate effort to mislead the public and are not recognized by law.
Among other reliefs granted by the court, the membership verification exercise conducted by the Udeze-led faction at his shop in Virginia Pavilion, Kubwa Extension, Abuja, was nullified. The court also awarded costs totaling ₦200,000 against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, Justice Funmilola Dem-Ajayi expressed concern that the cost awarded against Udeze had not yet been paid.
