Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the arrest and imprisonment of the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for disobeying a valid court order.
The ruling, delivered on Monday, September 29, 2025, came just before Professor Yakubu stepped down from office after completing his tenure as the nation’s electoral umpire.
According to the court, Yakubu failed to comply with an earlier judgment directing INEC to relist the names of the Action Alliance’s national officers, led by Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, which had been removed from the commission’s official website.
The decision followed a motion filed by the Action Alliance and its executives, who accused INEC and its then-chairman of disregarding the February 17, 2025, judgment of the court in Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/194/2024.
In the suit, the plaintiffs, Action Alliance, Professor Julius Adebowale, Engr. Olowookere Alabi, Barr. Chinwuba Zulyke, Oladele Sunday, Simon Itokwe, and Araoye Oyewole, sued on behalf of 30 state chairmen of the party, seeking enforcement of the court’s earlier order.
The court held that the defendants, INEC and Professor Yakubu, had shown “clear disobedience” to its judgment and granted an order of committal to the correctional centre (formerly prison) against them for contempt.
A certified copy of the judgment stated: “The Plaintiffs/Judgment Creditors seek an order committing the 1st Defendant (INEC) and 2nd Defendant (Prof. Mahmood Yakubu) to prison for disobeying the judgment of this court delivered on the 17th of February, 2025.”
Justice Demi-Ajayi also compelled INEC and Yakubu to comply with the judgment by restoring the names of the Action Alliance officials led by Omoaje and respecting all related rulings in their favour.
The court further awarded a cost of ₦100,000 against the defendants, in favour of the plaintiffs, for what it described as acts of contempt resulting in financial and reputational injury.
The Action Alliance had alleged that the removal of its executives from the INEC portal was unconstitutional and politically motivated, urging the court to restore their legitimacy.
In the meantime, following Yakubu’s exit from office on Tuesday, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu has assumed duties as Acting Chairman of INEC pending further developments.
