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. Mahmood Yakubu, for alleged contempt of court.
The order followed INEC’s alleged failure to comply with an earlier judgment in favour of the Action Alliance (AA). The party had approached the court seeking recognition of all state chairmen elected under the leadership of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.
In her ruling, Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi criticised the electoral body for disobeying a valid judgment and directed Prof. Yakubu to restore the names of the affected chairmen on the INEC portal within seven days.
The court also imposed a fine of ₦100,000 against the INEC Chairman, warning that failure to comply within the stipulated period would result in his immediate arrest by the police.
Justice Demi-Ajayi reaffirmed that the convention which produced Omoaje as National Chairman of the party was valid, noting that it was duly monitored by INEC and conducted in line with the Electoral Act as well as the party’s constitution.
