Court Orders Arrest of Former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu

The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over alleged contempt of court.

The order, issued on Monday, October 7, 2025, came just hours after Yakubu left office as INEC chairman, marking another chapter in the legal battle between the electoral umpire and the Action Alliance (AA).

Action Alliance Drags INEC to Court

The Action Alliance had earlier approached the court, accusing INEC and its then-chairman of failing to comply with a subsisting judgment delivered by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi in suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.

In that judgment, the court had directed INEC to upload the names of the party’s National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, and other National Executive Committee (NEC) members on its official portal. The court also ordered that the names of all state chairmen of the party be published as well.

Justice Demi-Ajayi had ruled that the elective convention of the Action Alliance, held on October 7, 2023, which produced Omoaje as the national chairman, was valid and properly monitored by INEC officials, in accordance with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

INEC Claims Compliance, Party Disagrees

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Although INEC insisted that it had complied with the judgment, the Action Alliance disagreed, maintaining that Omoaje’s name was yet to appear on the commission’s website despite repeated court orders.

While the names of the state chairmen and NEC members have been uploaded, the court noted that the continued omission of Omoaje’s name amounted to partial compliance, which it described as a flagrant disregard for judicial authority.

Court Orders Arrest and Committal Proceedings

In the latest ruling, the court directed the Inspector-General of Police to effect Yakubu’s arrest and commence committal proceedings within seven days.

The order, signed by Mr. O. M. Kilani on behalf of the court registrar, reads in part: “It is hereby ordered that the Inspector General of Police shall cause the arrest and shall charge the defendant/judgment debtors for contempt and committal proceedings within seven days of this ruling.”

The court also awarded a cost of ₦100,000 against the judgment creditors in the matter.

Yakubu Faces Legal Storm After Exit

The arrest order adds to the growing controversies surrounding Prof. Yakubu’s tenure at the electoral body. His departure from INEC was followed almost immediately by renewed legal scrutiny over his handling of party recognition disputes and compliance with judicial directives.

As of press time, neither the police nor INEC had issued an official response regarding the court’s latest directive.