Lagos Federal High Court has restrained INEC from using MC Oluomo or any of his representatives in the distribution of election materials...

Federal High Court in Lagos State has granted an injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from using or engaging with the Chairman of the Lagos Parks and Garages, Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo or any of his representatives in the distribution of election materials and adhoc staff.

The application for the injunction was filed by the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, alongside other political parties, including the African Democratic Congress and its candidate, Funsho Doherty and the Boot Party and its candidate, Wale Oluwo. The absence of INEC's legal representative did not stop the court from granting the injunction, which was applied for with an affidavit of urgency under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

The applicants' counsel argued that his clients would be severely threatened by a lack of free and fair elections in Lagos State, and urged the court to restrain INEC from taking any further steps that may affect the conduct of the election. The court granted the interim order, and the substantive suit has been adjourned to February 22.

It is worth noting that INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos, Olusegun Agbaje had earlier announced that the commission would work with the Lagos State Parks Management Committee headed by MC Oluomo for the distribution of election materials and personnel across the state. This move had been opposed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who had warned INEC against using the parks committee for the sanctity of the poll.

It is unclear how this recent injunction will affect the logistics of the forthcoming polls in Lagos State, given that the parks committee was set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu after suspending the operations of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos. However, what is clear is that the outcome of the forthcoming elections in Lagos State will be closely watched.