The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has pronounced a judgement sacking the Presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), retired Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and other candidates, submitted by the Kenneth Udeze-led faction of the party.
Justice Z.B Abubakar, in his verdict ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to decline all candidate names submitted by the Kenneth Udeze-led faction of the party.
The Judge said that instead, the candidates presented by the faction loyal to the chairman of the party, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje should be recognized for the 2023 elections.
Justice Abubakar cited section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and gave directive that INEC should immediately publish the names and addresses of all candidates submitted by Omoaje on behalf of the Action Alliance.
“By the provision of section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC should publish by displaying at the relevant office or offices of INEC and on its website,” the Judge ruled.
The court ruling came after a suit was instituted by Omoaje who filed a ligation the decision of INEC not to recognize the candidates submitted by him on behalf of the party for the 2023 polls.
Omoaje revealed that Kenneth Udeze had been expelled from the party since February 14, 2020, during the party’s National Convention in Osogbo, hence should stop parading himself as the AA National Chairman.