By Joy Odor, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked reports suggesting that the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, ordered the arrest of its immediate past Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for allegedly disobeying a court judgement involving the Action Alliance (AA) political party.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, October 9, 2025 by Sam Olumekun, mni, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC described the reports as “misleading, mischievous, and grossly inaccurate.”
“The media reports mischievously omitted the Commission’s subsequent action on the matter and wrongly portrayed what is clearly a corporate issue involving INEC as a personal affair,” the statement said. “There was no fresh order for arrest beyond the pronouncement made on September 29.”
According to the Commission, contrary to claims circulating online and in some print outlets, INEC had fully complied with the court’s directive within the legally stipulated timeframe.
Olumekun explained that the Commission, in keeping with its long-standing commitment to obeying court orders, filed necessary processes at the Federal High Court, Osogbo on Monday, October 6, 2025, just a week after the initial judgement to demonstrate compliance.
“We duly recognised the Action Alliance executive elected on 7th October 2023 in Abeokuta, Ogun State,” he stated. “In fact, the updated dashboard on INEC’s website reflecting this compliance was tendered in court as evidence.”
However, INEC noted that the judgement creditors later filed a counter-affidavit, alleging that the Commission only partially complied by omitting the name of Rufai Omoaje as the National Chairman of the party.
INEC clarified that Omoaje’s exclusion was not an act of defiance, but a matter of legal hierarchy, as his status remains under judicial contestation at a higher court.
“We responded by attaching the Notice of Appeal filed by the same Rufai Omoaje at the Supreme Court, challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal that sacked him as National Chairman,” INEC explained.
“The judgement of the Court of Appeal is superior to that of the Federal High Court, and as such, the Commission cannot list Omoaje’s name as chairman when that appeal judgement remains valid and subsisting.”
INEC therefore urged the media to verify facts before publication, warning against sensational or one-sided reporting capable of misleading the public and undermining public trust in democratic institutions.
“We appeal to media organisations to fact-check their reports before publication to avoid misleading the public,” the statement concluded.
Recall that on September 29, 2025, the Federal High Court in Osogbo reportedly issued an order in a case involving the Action Alliance party’s leadership tussle.
Some media outlets subsequently published reports suggesting that the court had ordered the arrest of the former INEC Chairman for contempt reports the Commission has now firmly dismissed as false and unfounded.
