Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Ex-INEC Chair, Mahmood Yakubu Over Contempt

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has issued an arrest warrant to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest the immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, over alleged contempt of court.

The order was issued just hours after Yakubu vacated office as INEC chairman.

This was sequel to a suit filed by the Action Alliance (AA) accusing INEC and Yakubu of failing to comply with an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi in suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.

The court had previously directed INEC to upload the names of the AA National Chairman, Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, and other members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on its official portal.

Justice Demi-Ajayi also affirmed that the party’s elective convention held on October 7, 2023—which produced Omoaje as chairman—was validly conducted and duly monitored by INEC officials in line with the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.

INEC, however, claimed to have complied with the ruling, but the Action Alliance disagreed, noting that Omoaje’s name was still missing from the commission’s website despite the inclusion of other NEC members and state chairmen.

In a fresh order dated October 7, 2025, and signed by court official O.M. Kilani, the court directed the Inspector General of Police to arrest Yakubu and initiate contempt and committal proceedings within seven days. The court also awarded ₦100,000 in costs against the judgment creditors.