Court fumes as Action Alliance drags electoral body back to court over defiance in leadership restoration case
The lingering leadership crisis rocking the Action Alliance (AA) has snowballed into a major legal and political drama, as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, narrowly escaped arrest by the Nigeria Police Force after allegedly flouting part of a Federal High Court judgment delivered in Osogbo.
Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court, Osogbo Division, had ordered INEC to restore the name of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as the National Chairman of the Action Alliance, alongside the names of members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), on its official website. The court also directed that the names of all state chairmen elected under Omoaje’s leadership be published on the Commission’s portal.
While INEC complied with the order relating to the state chairmen, it partially implemented the directive concerning the NEC. The updated portal now carries the names of NEC members, but conspicuously omits Omoaje’s name and the address of the party’s national secretariat. Even more contentious is the continued appearance of Kenneth Udeze, a suspended and expelled member, on the portal — a move the party described as “deliberate mischief and gross disobedience to court orders.”
The Action Alliance had held its national convention on October 7, 2023, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, where Omoaje emerged as the duly elected National Chairman.
Following INEC’s partial compliance, the court, on September 25, 2025, issued a directive to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordering the arrest of Professor Yakubu should he fail to fully comply with the ruling within seven days. Yakubu, however, reportedly escaped arrest after updating parts of the portal — a move critics say was aimed at evading the wrath of the law.
Not satisfied, the party — through its Osun State Chairman, Araoye Oyewole — filed a counter-affidavit before the same court on October 2, 2025, accusing INEC of selective obedience and urging the court to compel full compliance.
Oyewole stated:
> “While the names of all state chairmen have been restored to the INEC portal, the judgment specifically mandating recognition of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as National Chairman has not been followed. The judgment debtors have only partially complied with the court’s orders in suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.”
Legal experts have since warned that INEC’s selective compliance poses a serious challenge to judicial integrity and may expose the Commission to contempt proceedings. Some political observers also believe the controversy could further erode public confidence in the nation’s electoral umpire.
As the court resumes hearing, the Action Alliance insists on full restoration of its leadership structure, vowing not to back down until the judgment is fully obeyed and justice is seen to be done.
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