Court orders arrest of INEC chairman

A Federal High Court siting in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the arrest of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, over contempt of court.

National Daily gathered that Justice Stephen Pam of the Federal High Court,  Abuja, on Wednesday,  ordered the arrest of the INEC chairman for failing to appear in court.

The Judge was said to be angry that the INEC chairman shunned three consecutive invitation to appear before the court to answer to cases  against the commission.

It was gathered that Court ordered Yakubu to appear in court and show cause why he should not be sent to prison for contempt of court in a suit filed by Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, Chairman and Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, respectively.

Again, the Court on July 10, 2018, summoned the INEC Chairman to appear before the court but  counsel to Yakubu, Adeboyega Awomolo, told the court that his client had filed an appeal challenging that order at the Court of Appeal  and another appeal before the Federal High Court, seeking a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the appeal. Justice Pam dismissed that and stated that the fiat by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to hear the matter subsists.

On Wednesday, August 1, 2018, the INEC chairman failed to turn up at the court, making Justice Pam to order the Police to effect his arrest immediately.