Court Orders IGP to Arrest INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu
PulseNets learnt that a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has issued a strong directive ordering the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over alleged contempt of court.
The order, obtained by PulseNets, followed claims that INEC failed to comply with a ruling delivered in favour of the Action Alliance (AA). The party had earlier approached the court, insisting that the commission must officially recognise all state chairmen elected under the leadership of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.
Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi, who presided over the matter, was reported to have expressed displeasure at the electoral umpire’s refusal to honour a subsisting judgment. The judge categorically ordered Prof. Yakubu to restore the names of the affected chairmen on INEC’s official portal within seven days.
In a stern warning, Justice Demi-Ajayi declared,
“The court will not tolerate further disobedience. If the directive is not obeyed within the stipulated time, the Inspector-General of Police is empowered to arrest the INEC Chairman without delay.”
PulseNets learnt that beyond the arrest order, the court also slammed a fine of N100,000 against Prof. Yakubu. The judge maintained that the commission’s deliberate disregard of a valid ruling was unacceptable and contrary to the principle of the rule of law.
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It was further gathered that the court had earlier validated the convention that produced Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as the legitimate National Chairman of Action Alliance. According to Justice Demi-Ajayi,
“The convention was duly monitored by INEC and conducted in line with the Electoral Act as well as the party’s constitution.”
This latest development, PulseNets reported, puts fresh pressure on INEC’s leadership to immediately comply with the ruling or face what may become an unprecedented enforcement action against its chairman.
