A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over alleged contempt of court.
The order came after INEC allegedly failed to comply with a ruling in favour of the Action Alliance (AA).
The party had gone to court demanding that the commission recognise all state chairmen elected under the leadership of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.
Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi, who presided over the case, criticised the electoral body for disobeying a valid judgment. She ordered Prof. Yakubu to restore the names of the affected chairmen on the INEC portal within seven days.
The court further imposed a fine of N100,000 against the INEC Chairman. It warned that failure to comply within the set period would trigger his immediate arrest by the police.
However, the court had earlier ruled that the convention that produced Omoaje as National Chairman of the party was valid.
According to the judge, the convention was monitored by INEC and held in line with the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.
