Lagos INEC REC Says No Going Back On Election Logistics Despite Court Order

Despite the subsisting order from the Federal High Court of Lagos stopping it from dealing with the Lagos State Parks Management Committee headed by the transport union leader, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly called MC Oluomo, the resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the state, Olusegun Agbaje, has vowed to press ahead with the arrangements already made with the group.

He denied that MC Oluomo is being dealt with as an individual noting that all the drivers who have been tasked with conveying election materials for the Saturday’s election would do so on individual basis.

Speaking after the ruling of the court by Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke, he said, “Nobody is dealing with Oluomo here. I said it several times. We are not dealing with Oluomo.

“The owners of the vehicles are at the local government level.

“Anybody who says we are dealing with Oluomo should provide the evidence. And we don’t have any problem with mobilisation in Lagos State.”

MC Oluomo is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and a strong supporter of the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

THE WHISTLER had reported that the Labour Party, LP; the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Boot Party, BP, had filed an application for interlocutory injunction before Justice Aneke.

Parties to the suit marked FHC/L/CS/271/2023, were the governorship candidates in Lagos of LP Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (LP); Funsho Doherty (ADC), and Wale Oluwo (Boot Party).

In handing down the restraining order on Monday, Justice Aneke had ruled; “an order of interlocutory injunction filed by the Labour Party and five others restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (defendant/respondent), whether by itself or by its officers, affiliates, servants, privies or agents or any person acting or purporting to act for and on behalf howsoever from taking any steps or further steps whatsoever in furtherance of the engagement or appointment or consummating the appointment of Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its commercial bus drivers to distribute 2023 election materials and personnel in Lagos State pending the hearing and determination the substantive suit.”

But Agbaje denied the existence of the order which he said he had not seen.

“We don’t have any challenge at all in INEC Lagos State. All the arrangements are going on smoothly.

“We are not aware of any court judgment because nobody served us any court papers.

“The issue of Oluomo does not arise in the first instance. We are going on with our arrangement and we don’t have anything to fear,” he stated.