A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
The order came barely hours after Yakubu officially stepped down from office, marking a twist to his exit from Nigeria’s top electoral body.
The directive, issued by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi, stems from an allegation of contempt of court filed by the Action Alliance (AA).
The party accused INEC and its then-chairman of failing to obey a subsisting judgment delivered earlier in 2024.
The Action Alliance had approached the court in suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024, insisting that INEC disregarded a clear directive to recognize and publish the names of its legitimate leaders.
In that earlier judgment, Justice Demi-Ajayi ruled that INEC must upload the names of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as the party’s National Chairman, along with other members of its National Executive Committee (NEC), on its official website.
The court also validated the party’s elective convention held on October 7, 2023, confirming that it was conducted in line with the party’s constitution and monitored by INEC officials.
While INEC maintained that it had complied with the directive, the Action Alliance rejected the claim.
The party argued that although the names of some NEC members were uploaded, Omoaje’s name was missing meaning the electoral body had not fully adhered to the judgment.
Justice Demi-Ajayi agreed, noting that the omission of the chairman’s name amounted to partial compliance.
The court therefore found INEC and its former chairman in contempt.
In a fresh order dated October 7, 2025, and signed by Court Registrar O. M. Kilani, the Federal High Court directed the Inspector General of Police to arrest Professor Yakubu and commence contempt proceedings against him within seven days.
Furthermore, the court imposed a cost of ₦100,000 against the judgment debtors for failing to obey its earlier decision.
The order comes at a time when Yakubu’s tenure had just come to an end, making the situation particularly unexpected.
