From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The Action Alliance (AA) on Thursday called for the annulment of the last general elections over the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create a level playing ground for the elections.
The party also called on the electoral body to organize another round of elections which will be generally accepted by all the stakeholders in the electoral process, especially the political parties and Nigerians at large.
The National Chairman of the party, Dr Adekunle Rufai Omoaje in a statement made available to newsmen chastised the INEC national chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu for organizing a poorly conducted elections which fell below international standard.
Omoaje specifically blamed the INEC national chairman for the poor outing of the electoral body, describing the last general elections as the worst in the history of Nigeria, and thereby called for its annulment.
He disclosed that the party has already instituted legal action against INEC at the Elections Petition Tribunal and called on President Mohammadu Buhari to call INEC to order by directing the electoral umpire to cancel the elections and organize fresh ones.
He said the party was disenfranchised in all the elections conducted by INEC this year, hence the call for the cancellation of the elections in the interest of fairness and equity.
His words “as early as midyear 2022, Action Alliance, as a political party has been in the media advocating for public proactive move to checkmate the tyrannical moves of Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The party took a view of the activities of the INEC chairman, most especially, his recalcitrant penchant for disobeying court orders and rulings.
“Action Alliance did repeatedly addressed press conferences that included international media organizations to alert the world of the traits of orchestrated treacherous moves of the head of the umpire. He became so devilishly inclined and emboldened to snub court orders at will with impunity.
“Mahmood Yakubu deviced a criminal boldface approach to disobeying court order in an unprecedented manner. This was evidenced in the travail of Action Alliance in the evil hands of Mahmood Yakubu.
“Mahmood Yakubu for reasons best known to him, connived with one Kenneth Udeze, a former member of Action Alliance to fabricate a situation of imaginary division with the party. Taking a step further, Yakubu honoured an FCT High Court judgement to set aside an earlier judgement of the Court of Appeal.
“In 2021, Kenneth Udeze had approached the Court of Appeal to determine weather he has the locus standi to act for and on behalf of Action Alliance. The Appeal Court ruled in January 2022 that he, Kenneth Udeze having been expelled from the party, Action Alliance, has lost every right of membership of the party, therefore can not act for and on behalf of the party. This judgement was served on INEC at the time of its delivery through CTC from the Court Appeal.
“Mahmood Yakubu in a treachery move with Kenneth, around March 2022, accepted a later judgment of the High Court of FCT as setting aside an earlier superior judgement of the Court of Appeal.
“He caused the commission to stop every dealing with the elected NEC of the party. Thereafter, every other move to have INEC see reasons why it can not engage in the absurdity of rating a High Court judgement above that of the Court of Appeal has been repeatedly snubbed. As at the time of this release, Action Alliance has obtained five High Court and three Appeal Courts judgements telling INEC and Yakubu that he can not recognize a none member of a political party as its chairman. To all of these, he has maintained impunity against every judgement that has been delivered in favour of Action Alliance and serves on him.
“For these reasons, Action Alliance has submitted a petition to the presidential election tribunal to set aside the 2023 General Elections for faulty process that denied Action Alliance participation. Candidates submitted to the umpire, through the authentic leadership were neither uploaded nor acknowledged. Inspite of two declarative judgments specifically mandating INEC to accept and upload the candidates of Action Alliance for all post contest in the 2023 general elections.
“Now, Action Alliance is approaching the tribunal at the various levels to seek redress by annulment of the elections, and organizing another rounds, to enable the party field it’s candidates,” he added.