By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Chief Kenneth Udeze, has dismissed reports alleging that a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo ordered the arrest and imprisonment of the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Udeze described the reports as false, misleading, and malicious, urging Nigerians to disregard them.

“It has come to our attention that some individuals are circulating false information alleging that a Federal High Court ordered the arrest of the former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. There is no such judgment anywhere. I urge Nigerians and our party members to ignore these rumours,” Udeze said.

Earlier reports had claimed that Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, ordered Prof. Yakubu’s arrest for allegedly failing to comply with a judgment directing INEC to relist certain national officers of the Action Alliance on its website.

The case was reportedly filed by a former party member, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, and some associates, who sought recognition from INEC as the party’s legitimate leaders.

However, Chief Udeze insisted that the claim was a fabrication by individuals expelled from the party, stressing that the leadership dispute within the Action Alliance had long been settled in his favour by competent courts.

“The issue of the authentic leadership of the Action Alliance has been conclusively settled by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Abuja in favour of our national leadership,” he stated. “Omoaje and his cohorts, having lost multiple cases, have now resorted to fraudulent tactics by obtaining a dubious judgment from Osogbo.”

Udeze also dismissed the purported Osogbo ruling as “fraudulently procured,” adding that the party’s legal team had been instructed to take all necessary steps to vacate it.

“The Action Alliance faithful across Nigeria and beyond should remain calm and law-abiding. Our lawyers have been mandated to do everything within the law to set aside this fraudulent judgment obtained by Omoaje and his associates,” he added.

Reaffirming his position as the duly recognized National Chairman of the Action Alliance, Udeze called for unity among members and urged them not to be distracted by what he described as desperate attempts to destabilize the party.