Mahmood Yakubu Faces Brutal Arrest Order After Court’s Contempt Ruling

October 8, 2025

Despite stepping down as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has once again directed the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest former INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, over alleged contempt of court.

The arrest order was issued just hours after Mahmood Yakubu officially left office.

The directive stems from a case filed by the Action Alliance (AA), accusing INEC and its former chairman Mahmood Yakubu of failing to comply with a previous judgment delivered by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi in Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.

In its judgment, the Federal High Court directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload the names of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, the National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), along with other members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), onto its official portal.

The court further ordered that the names of all state chairmen of the party be similarly published on the INEC website.

The court affirmed the legitimacy of the party’s elective convention held on October 7, 2023, which produced Omoaje as the National Chairman, stating that the process was duly monitored and supervised by INEC officials in accordance with the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Although INEC claimed to have complied with the court’s ruling, the Action Alliance contested this, noting that while the names of the NEC members and state chairmen under Omoaje’s leadership had been uploaded, Omoaje’s own name was still missing from the commission’s website — a development the court criticized.

A court order obtained by our correspondent, dated October 7, 2025, and signed by Mr. O.M. Kilani on behalf of the Court Registrar, states 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.”

Additionally, the court imposed a cost of ₦100,000 against the judgment creditors.