A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, to produce President Bola Tinubu’s electoral documents from the 1999 Lagos State governorship election and the 2023 presidential election.
The order is part of the ongoing criminal trial of human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, who is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over social media posts in which he allegedly described President Tinubu as a criminal.
The court issued a subpoena directing Amupitan to appear and present Tinubu’s INEC Form CF001 submitted during the 1999 governorship election, including an affidavit relating to lost certificates.
He is also expected to produce the Form CF001 submitted by Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
The subpoena, titled Subpoena Duces Tecum, was signed by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar in charge number FHC/CR/484/2025.
The development followed an application by Sowore’s defence team seeking to call Amupitan and former Lagos APC publicity secretary, Joe Igbokwe, as witnesses in the case. The court granted the request and directed that subpoenas be issued to both individuals.
However, the judge rejected a separate application by Sowore seeking to compel the DSS lead counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, to testify as a defence witness.
Justice Umar ruled that legal practitioners are generally protected by client confidentiality and cannot ordinarily be compelled to disclose information connected to their professional representation.
The judge also agreed with the prosecution that the application against Kehinde was brought in bad faith and could delay the proceedings.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until Wednesday, November 11, 2026, when the subpoenaed witnesses are expected to appear and provide the requested evidence.
