The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, for contempt and disobedience of court orders.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi on Monday, followed an application by the Action Alliance (AA) through its counsel, K.O. Etibo, seeking committal proceedings against Yakubu for allegedly flouting earlier judgments.
The court held that both INEC and its chairman erred by failing to comply with its directive to recognize state chairmen elected under the Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje-led National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
Justice Demi-Ajayi awarded a cost of ₦100,000 against Yakubu and gave INEC a seven-day ultimatum to restore the names of all chairmen produced under Omoaje’s leadership on its portal. Failure to do so, the court ruled, would warrant Yakubu’s arrest by the police.
The judge further affirmed the validity of the national convention that produced Omoaje as national chairman, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, noting that it was monitored by INEC officials and conducted in line with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
