Court Sacks 2023 Presidential Candidate, Orders Fresh Replacement

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sacked the presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd).
The court presided over by Justice Z.B Abubakar ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize all candidates presented by the Kenneth Udeze-led faction of the party.

The Judge added that instead, the candidates submitted by the faction loyal to the chairman of the party, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje should be recognized for the 2023 elections and the court order was made known to newsmen in Kaduna over the weekend.

Justice Abubakar cited section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and ordered 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.

According to reports, the court order follows a suit instituted by Omoaje who challenged the decision of INEC not to recognize the candidates submitted by him on behalf of the party for the 2023 polls.

Omoaje said Kenneth Udeze had been expelled from the party on February 14, 2020, during the party’s National Convention in Osogbo, hence should stop parading himself as the AA National Chairman.