Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the arrest and imprisonment of the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for disobeying a valid court order.

The ruling, delivered yesterday just days before Yakubu officially stepped down, relates to INEC’s failure to comply with a February 17 judgment mandating the reinstatement of national officers of the Action Alliance (AA) on the commission’s official website.

The court order was issued in a suit filed by the party (FHC/OS/194/2024), which accused INEC and its chairman of unlawfully delisting the names of party officials elected under the leadership of Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje.

According to the certified judgment, the plaintiffs had sought an order committing both INEC and Professor Yakubu to prison for failing to obey the court’s directive.

The judgment read:

“An order of committal to the Correctional Centre of the 1st Defendant (INEC) and the 2nd Defendant (Prof. Mahmood Yakubu) for disobeying the judgment/orders of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, in Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/194/2024 delivered on 17 February 2025.”

Justice Demi-Ajayi also directed the Inspector General of Police to ensure the arrest and prosecution of Yakubu and INEC for contempt of court within seven days of the ruling.

Additionally, the court awarded N100,000 in costs against the defendants for their actions, which were deemed injurious to the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs include Action Alliance, Professor Julius Adebowale, Engr. Olowookere Alabi, Barr. Chinwuba Zulyke, Oladele Sunday, Simon Itokwe, and Araoye Oyewole, representing over 30 state chairmen of the party.

The judgment further emphasized that INEC must comply with all previous rulings recognizing the Omoaje-led National Executive Committee (NEC) and restore the affected names on its state portal.

This development comes just a day after Prof. Yakubu handed over the reins of INEC to Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, who now serves as the acting chairman pending a substantive appointment.