Justice Adefunmilayo Adekemi Demi-Ajayi of the Osogbo division of the Federal High Court on Monday expressed reservations over the delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in obeying the order of the court.

The court had ordered INEC to pay a cost of N100,000 and fixed Monday for a ruling on the committal case instituted by the Action Alliance (AA) against INEC and its national chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

However, INEC had failed to comply with the order of the court, a development which upset the trial judge, who expressed displeasure at the commission’s stance on the court order.

Counsel to INEC, Mr Vilba Kintai, had at the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Demi-Ajayi told the court that he had already filed a preliminary objection to the court order.

But counsel to the Action Alliance, Mr O K Etibo, urged the court to strike out the preliminary objection filed by the counsel to INEC, saying it was a deliberate ploy by INEC to frustrate the court and delay judgment in the matter before the court.

He enjoined the court to proceed with the matter before it, as the defendant failed to obey the court order on the cost awarded.

He submitted that the action of the defendant was basically aimed at wasting the time of the court, insisting that the defendant ought to pay the cost awarded in line with the provisions of Order 25, Rule 10 of the Rules of the Federal High Court.

Insisting that the defendant was wasting the time of the court, the presiding judge, Justice Demi-Ajayi, told the defendant’s counsel to respond to the order of the court.

She thereafter adjourned the case to Monday, September 22, 2025. (Daily Sun, excluding headline)