Federal High Court Directs IGP to Arrest INEC Chairman for Flouting Orders
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, for contempt of court and disobedience of lawful orders.
OTN News further reports as gathered that Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi, who presided over the matter, ruled that both Yakubu and INEC erred by refusing to comply with an earlier judgment directing the commission to recognise all state chairmen elected under the Adekunle Rufai Omoaje-led National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Action Alliance (AA).
OTN News observes from the information gathered that the Action Alliance, through its counsel K.O. Etibo, had applied for Forms 48 and 49 seeking committal proceedings against the INEC chairman for allegedly flouting the court’s directives.
However, delivering her ruling, Justice Demi-Ajayi awarded a cost of ₦100,000 against Yakubu and gave INEC and its chairman a seven-day ultimatum to restore the names of Omoaje-led state chairmen on the commission’s portal or face arrest by the police.
The judge maintained that the national convention which produced Omoaje as AA’s national chairman at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, in October 2023, remained valid as it was conducted in line with the Electoral Act and duly monitored by INEC officials.
In a related development, the court ordered INEC to cease further recognition of Mr. Kenneth Udeze as the national chairman of AA. Justice Demi-Ajayi faulted the convention that produced Udeze, declared it invalid, and ordered its cancellation.
She further affirmed the suspension and expulsion of Udeze from the party, stressing that he had no legal standing to communicate with INEC in any capacity on behalf of AA.
“The arbitrariness and recklessness of the defendant (INEC) in recognising Udeze as the national chairman of AA is unexpected. Such action is capable of causing official rascality,” Justice Demi-Ajayi ruled.
The court also ordered INEC to immediately replace Udeze’s name with Omoaje’s on its portal and reiterated that any convention other than the Abeokuta congress was null and void.
While dismissing the argument of INEC’s defence counsel on jurisdiction, the judge described the position as lacking in merit.
She concluded that INEC’s inconsistency in recognising Udeze undermined its constitutional duties.
What's Your Reaction?
