Our attention has been drawn to some media reports making the rounds about an order made by the Federal High Court, Oshogbo, Osun State 11 days ago on 29th Septem ber 2025, for the arrest of the immediate past INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for purportedly disobeying its judgement on a case involving the Action Alliance par ty (AA). But the misleading reports mischievously omitted the Commission’s subsequent action on the case, erroneously portrayed the matter involving a corporate entity, namely INEC, as an individual affair and gave the wrong impression that the Court gave a fresh order after the initial pronouncement made on 29th September.
In line with its long-established tradition of always obeying court judgements and orders, the Commission on Monday 6th October 2025, which was still within the deadline, filed processes at the Federal High Court, Oshogbo to show that we had complied with its judgement and order of recognising the Action Alliance’s (AA) executive elected on 7th October 2023 at Abeokuta, Ogun State. The dashboard of the Commission’s web site showing compliance was tendered as evidence.
However, when the judgement creditors filed a counter affidavit to complain that the Commission partially complied by listing the names of only four national executives without the National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, the Commission responded by attaching the Notice of Appeal filed by the same Omoaje at the Supreme Court, challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal sacking him as the National Chairman of the party.
The judgement of the Court of Appeal is superior to that of the federal high court, hence, the Commission cannot list Omoaje’s name as the Chairman of the Action Alliance party when the judgement of the Appeal Court is still subsisting.
We appeal to media organisations to fact-check their reports before publication to avoid misleading the public.
Sam Olumekun mni
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee Thursday 9th October 2025
