Court Orders Arrest Of Ex-INEC Chairman Mahmoud Yakubu For Contempt

The 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 Mahmoud Yakubu, for alleged contempt of court.

The order was issued just hours after Yakubu officially handed over as INEC chairman.

The case stems from a suit filed by the Action Alliance (AA) accusing INEC and its former chairman of disobeying a court judgment delivered by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi in suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.

The judgment had directed INEC to upload the names of the party’s National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, and other members of its National Executive Committee (NEC) onto the commission’s official website. The court also upheld the party’s elective convention held on October 7, 2023, which produced Omoaje as the legitimate national chairman, stating that the exercise was properly monitored by INEC officials.

Although INEC maintained that it had complied with the judgment, the Action Alliance argued that the commission failed to fully obey the order, as Omoaje’s name was still missing from the portal. The court expressed displeasure over the partial compliance, noting that while other NEC members’ names were uploaded, the omission of the national chairman’s name violated its directive.

In a fresh ruling dated October 7, 2025, and signed by O.M. Kilani on behalf of the Court Registrar, the court directed the Inspector General of Police to arrest and prosecute Yakubu for contempt within seven days.

Additionally, the court awarded a cost of ₦100,000 against the judgment creditors.