Court orders arrest of ex-INEC chairman Yakubu hours after resignation

In a dramatic twist just hours after his resignation, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has been ordered to be arrested by the Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State.

The court’s directive, issued on Wednesday, mandates the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest Yakubu over an alleged contempt of court. Details of the alleged offence remain unclear, but the order underscores ongoing legal challenges facing the former electoral chief even after leaving office.

The development comes shortly after Yakubu officially vacated his position as INEC chairman, marking an unexpected turn in his post-tenure chapter. Despite stepping down, the court’s ruling indicates that the legal proceedings against him will proceed unabated.

The Action Alliance, AA, had instituted a case before the court challenging INEC and its former chairman, Prof Yakubu, over their non-compliance with the judgment of the Court delivered by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi in suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.

In the said judgment, the court ordered INEC to put the names of the National Chairman of the Action Alliance, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, and other members of the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, on the INEC portal.

The Court also held that the names of all the state chairmen of the party be uploaded on the INEC portal.

The court held that the elective convention of the party held on the 7th of October, 2023 which produced Omoaje as the national chairman of the party and other NEC members of the party was authentic as it was properly monitored and supervised by officials of INEC in accordance with the party’s constitution and the electoral acts.

However, INEC claimed to have complied with the court judgment, but the party disagreed with the commission, as the name of Omoaje was yet to be uploaded on the commission’s website despite the orders of the Court.

Although the names of the state chairmen of the party under the leadership of Omoaje and those of the NEC members are already on the INEC portal, Omoaje’s name is yet to be uploaded as of press time, a development that the court frowned at.

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

The court also awarded a cost of #100,000 against the judgment creditors.