Just In: INEC Speaks on Reports Court Ordered Arrest of Prof Mahmood Yakubu
- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied breaching an order made by the federal high court, Osogbo, Osun state
- There are reports that the court ordered that ex-INEC boss, Mahmood Yakubu, should be arrested for purportedly disobeying the court's judgement
- However, INEC, now under a new leadership, finally addressed the reports and fumed at the publications
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, election, and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, October 10, said viral reports about an order made by the federal high court, Osogbo, Osun state, for the arrest of its immediate past chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, is "misleading".
Legit.ng recalls that reports recently emerged that Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Osogbo high court ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Prof. Yakubu for disobeying the court’s judgment.
Source: Facebook
INEC clarifies report on Yakubu
The reports said the court, in its order delivered on Monday, September 29, stated that the former INEC boss failed to implement the court’s order to relist national officers of the Action Alliance (AA) on its website.
The party in a suit numbered FHC/OS/194/2024 sought an order from the court to compel INEC, Professor Yakubu, to re-enlist the names of the Rufai Omoaje-led national executive of the party, which had been removed from INEC’s portal.
However, reacting via a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, INEC's national commissioner and chairman of the information and voter education committee, and obtained by Legit.ng, stated that it filed processes at the federal high court, Osogbo to show that it had complied with its judgment and order of recognising the AA's executive elected on October 7, 2023, in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
It clarified:
"However, when the judgement creditors filed a counter affidavit to complain that the Commission partially complied by listing the names of only four national executives without the National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, the Commission responded by attaching the Notice of Appeal filed by the same Omoaje at the Supreme Court, challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal sacking him as the National Chairman of the party.
"The judgement of the Court of Appeal is superior to that of the federal high court, hence, the Commission cannot list Omoaje's name as the Chairman of the Action Alliance party when the judgement of the Appeal Court is still subsisting."
TEI team meets INEC
Meanwhile, as part of the one week study visit to INEC, The Electoral Institute (TEI) hosted the delegation from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) led by the deputy chairperson, Tesfaye Niwai and the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections (CECOE), led by the executive director Abera Hailemariam. The visit, it was gathered, aimed to promote experience sharing, exchange of ideas, and mutual learning between INEC and NEBE in strengthening democratic practices and institutions within their respective countries and across Africa.
The guests were received on Thursday, October 9, at TEI's main auditorium. The Ag. director-general of TEI, Prof. Ibrahim Sani delivered a brief remark and presentation outlining the Institute’s purpose, evolution, restructuring, administrative structure, mission, vision, and core values. He also highlighted the functions of the Director-General’s Office as well as the roles of the research and documentation and training departments.
Read more INEC news:
- Joash Amupitan: Nigerians react as council of state approves new INEC chairman
- Northern ethnic nationalities react as Tinubu appoints new INEC chairman
- Tinubu presents nominees for INEC chairman during council of state meeting
Tinubu speaks on Yakubu's successor
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu explained the reason he opted for Professor Joash Amupitan to become the next chairman of INEC.
The president, while speaking at the council of state meeting at the presidential villa in Abuja, explained that Amupitan has an impeccable record of service, apolitical stance and integrity.
The council unanimously endorsed Amupitan's nomination as Prof. Yakubu's successor.
Source: Legit.ng
