BREAKING: Court Orders Immediate Arrest of Ex-INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu Hours After Vacating Office

Court Orders Immediate Arrest of Ex-INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu Hours After Vacating Office

 

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the immediate arrest of the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for alleged contempt of court — barely hours after he officially vacated office.

 

The order, issued on Tuesday by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to apprehend the former electoral chief and commence committal proceedings against him within seven days.

 

Prof. Yakubu had earlier in the day handed over the reins of leadership to National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will now serve as Acting Chairman of the Commission pending the appointment of a substantive head. The brief handover ceremony was held at INEC headquarters in Abuja during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

 

The arrest order is connected to a protracted legal dispute between INEC and the Action Alliance (AA) party over the commission’s alleged refusal to comply with a subsisting court judgment.

 

In suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024, filed by the Action Alliance, the court had previously ordered INEC to upload the name of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as the National Chairman of the party, along with members of its National Executive Committee (NEC), on its official website.

 

The court had affirmed that the October 2023 elective convention that produced Omoaje and other executives was validly conducted, properly monitored, and supervised by INEC officials in accordance with the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

 

Despite the judgment, the Action Alliance alleged that INEC had failed to fully comply, as Omoaje’s name remained missing from the Commission’s official portal, even though the names of other party executives had been published. The court described the omission as a clear violation of its earlier directive.

 

A certified copy of the latest ruling, dated October 7, 2025, and signed by O.M. Kilani on behalf of the Court Registrar, stated:

 

“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.”

 

As of the time of filing this report, INEC has not issued an official statement in response to the court’s latest directive.