A Peoples Democratic Party candidate in Ogun State, Solomon Enilolobo, has filed a committal proceeding against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakub, for his alleged disobedience to a court order.
Enilolobo also urged the Federal High Court, Abeokuta to jail the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu and four others for contempt on the judgement by Justice J.O Abdulmalik.
The candidate said he decided to drag Yakub to court over alleged disobedience to the court judgment delivered by Justice J.O Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta on September 26, 2022.
He said others including Ayu were charged along with the INEC boss due to the roles they process which he described as contempt of court
Prior to the Judgment, Enilolobo had taken part in the primary of the PDP into the Abeokuta South State Constituency 1 and won among other contenders. Police Force and other security agents.
The court had ruled that Enilolobo was the duly elected House of Assembly candidate of the PDP for the Abeokuta South constituency 1 when his name was replaced with another person.
Almost a month after the judgement the candidate said his name was still missing from the INEC list.
He lamented that he noticed that his name was not forwarded to the INEC in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, rather, it was the name of one Lukman Atobatele who just dumped the Allied Peoples Movement for PDP.
According to him, these infractions gave rise to the suit he filed against the PDP, Dr Iyiorchia Ayu, Mr Sunday Sodipe, INEC and others in suit number FHC/AB/CS/80/22.
“At the end of the case, I defeated all the defendants and they were all mandated to comply with the dictates of the Electoral Act by reinstating me to represent the good people of the Abeokuta South State Constituency 1 in the 2023 general elections.
“The Judgment, which remained unappealed as at the time of compiling this report, and the three months window to Appeal being closed, I have approached the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta to commit the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu; PDP Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu; Sunday Sodipe and others to prison for their failure to comply with the Judgement of September 26, 2022.
” Bearing any last minutes change, the respondents might have their days in prison if the committal orders are granted by the court.”
I am asking the court to forthwith commit Ayu, the INEC boss and other respondents to jail term for refusing to implement the September 26 judgement of Justice J O Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court which declared that I as the duly elected PDP House of Assembly candidate for Abeokuta South constituency 1.”
(Punch)
