Court Rules On MC Oluomo Distributing 2023 Election Materials

Court has ruled on MC Oluomo distributing 2023 Election materials.

Newsone reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from engaging, using, or further dealing with the Chairman of the Lagos Parks and Garages, Musiliu Akinsanya, better known as MC Oluomo, in the distribution of election materials and ad-hoc staff for the forthcoming polls in the state.

This online news platform understands that Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the injunction following an application filed by the Labour Party, LP, and its gubernatorial candidate in Lagos state, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

Newsone Nigeria reports that there has been controversy in the past few days over the decision of the INEC to work with the Lagos state parks management committee to distribute election materials.

The Lagos state parks management is headed by MC Oluomo.

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had set up the parks committee after banning the operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

INEC resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Lagos, Olusegun Agbaje, said he had no option other than to work with the parks committee to distribute election materials in the state – a decision which has been greeted with criticism as regards the credibility of the polls since MC Oluomo is a supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But INEC national commissioner for information, Festus Okoye, said the logistics contract for the distribution of election materials is with drivers and not transport unions.

The Labour Party and five other plaintiffs had gone to court to seek an interlocutory injunction restraining INEC, “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”.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke in the ruling on Monday, February 20, 2023, restrained INEC from taking any steps or further steps whatsoever in furtherance of the engagement of the committee led by MC Oluomo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.