Prove your integrity by obeying all court orders – Action Alliance Urges INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to demonstrate its integrity by obeying various court orders pertaining to parties contesting the 2023 general election.
According to Track News, the National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, made the call when he revealed how INEC has refused to respond to court rulings concerning the issues of candidates submitted by some political parties.

Omoaje stated that INEC and its chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, should demonstrate the commission’s integrity by obeying the various court orders presented to the electoral body by various parties.

His reaction comes as the party has yet to receive permission from INEC to upload its candidates for the 2023 general elections on the electoral umpire’s portal, despite sending court orders directing the commission to do so.

“We had forwarded to INEC on the 12th day of August 2022 the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division in which the Court of Appeal affirmed the expulsion/suspension of Barrister Kenneth Udeze from the party, Action Alliance,” he stated.

The Action Alliance national chair also claimed that the party forwarded another Federal High Court Abeokuta judgment delivered on September 8, 2022, to the commission on October 6, 2022.

In a statement, Omoaje explained that the above judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja was appealed by the Kenneth Udeze faction of the Action Alliance in the appeal Action Alliance Vs. INEC 2 Ors, appeal number CA/IB/378/2022, noting that the Court of Appeal affirmed Kenneth Udeze’s expulsion on 11 November 2022.

He did, however, reveal that on November 4, 2022, the party forwarded another Federal High Court Abeokuta judgment ordering INEC to allow Omo-Aje executives to upload candidates for the 2023 general elections.

Despite all of the court documents sent to INEC, Omoaje lamented the fact that the commission has yet to respond, adding that the elections are already very close but the party has yet to upload its candidates for the 2023 elections on the INEC portal.

He therefore urged INEC to allow the party to upload its candidates, stating that the party, like any other political party with court judgments, would ensure that INEC obeys such court orders and does the necessary for free and fair elections in 2023.