The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed recent media claims suggesting it ignored a Federal High Court ruling in Osogbo, Osun State, concerning the leadership conflict within the Action Alliance (AA) party.
Some outlets had reported that the court mandated the arrest of former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for allegedly failing to implement a September 29, 2025 judgment. This judgment recognized the faction led by Rufai Omoaje and instructed INEC to upload the party’s executive list onto its official portal.
In a statement released on Friday by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC labeled these reports as inaccurate and accused certain media sources of omitting key facts about the commission’s adherence to the court’s directive.
“We have noted reports claiming that the Federal High Court in Osogbo ordered the arrest of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for non-compliance with a judgment related to the Action Alliance. These accounts are misleading and do not reflect the commission’s subsequent compliance efforts,” the statement clarified.
INEC explained that it acted promptly to meet the court’s requirements. On October 6, 2025, within the stipulated timeframe, the commission submitted the necessary legal documentation to the Federal High Court in Osogbo, demonstrating its recognition of the Action Alliance executive elected on October 7, 2023, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Despite this, the judgment creditors later filed a counter-affidavit alleging that INEC only listed four national officers and excluded the National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje.
INEC responded by stating that it could not list Omoaje as chairman due to a prior Court of Appeal ruling that had removed him from office-a decision currently under review by the Supreme Court.
“The Court of Appeal’s ruling takes precedence over the Federal High Court’s judgment. Therefore, the commission cannot recognize Rufai Omoaje as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance while the appellate court’s decision remains in effect,” Olumekun explained.
He reiterated INEC’s dedication to respecting the rule of law and its consistent compliance with all legitimate court orders.
The commission also called on media outlets to adhere to journalistic standards by verifying facts before publication.
“We urge the media to thoroughly fact-check their stories and refrain from disseminating misinformation that could erode public trust,” the statement concluded.
