The Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, for contempt and disobedience of court orders.
This decision follows a suit filed by the Action Alliance against INEC.
The court’s ruling came after INEC failed to comply with a previous order directing the commission to recognize all state chairmen elected under the leadership of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje’s National Executive Committee. Justice Funmilola Demi Ajayi expressed displeasure at INEC’s stance on the matter and awarded a cost of ₦100,000 against the INEC chairman.
The judge gave the INEC chairman seven days to restore the names of all chairmen elected under Omoaje’s leadership to the commission’s portal. Failure to comply within the specified timeframe will result in the arrest of the INEC chairman by the police. “If at the end of the 7 days ultimatum the federal government fails to address these issues, the union may have no option than to… embark on a two week warning strike and thereafter, an indefinite strike,” is a phrase that resonates with this current situation, though it relates to ASUU strikes, it shows the gravity of court orders and union actions.
The Action Alliance had approached the court seeking an order to compel INEC to recognize all state chairmen elected under Omoaje’s leadership. The court maintained that the national convention that produced Omoaje as National Chairman of the party was valid, as it was monitored by INEC officials and conducted in line with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
The court’s decision has sparked nationwide attention, with implications for INEC’s compliance with judicial orders and the handling of electoral disputes. The validity of the convention and the recognition of state chairmen are crucial issues that INEC must address to avoid further conflict with the judiciary.
The court ruling highlights the importance of compliance with judicial orders and the potential consequences of failure to do so. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how INEC will respond to the court’s directive.