Abuja Federal High Court has ordered the arrest of Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for not appearing in court, the time he was summoned.
The arrest warrant was issued by Justice Stephen Pam on Thursday, after Yakubu failed to appear in court for the third time. The judge ordered the police to arrest him immediately.
On July 5, Justice Stephen ordered Mahmood to appear in court to show cause why he should not be sent to prison for contempt of the court.
Mahmood was ordered to appear in court while the Judge ruled a preliminary objection by INEC and its Chairman, in a contempt proceeding filed by Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, Chairman and Legal Adviser of the People's Democratic Party, in Anambra State.
On July 10 when the court sat again, the INEC Chairman did not obey the call, with his counsel, Mr Adeboyega Awomolo who informed the court that his client filed an appeal challenging that order at the appeal court and another appeal before the Federal High Court, demanding to stay for proceedings pending the determination of the appeal, according to reports.
The Counsel to the plaintiff also revealed to the court that contrary to the claims of the INEC counsel, that there was no material evidence before the court to stop the order of the court.
The case was adjourned to August , today, to allow the INEC Chairman to attend his mother's burial but insisted that Mahmood must appear in court as he was ordered to, at the next sitting, according to Justice Pam.
The court reconvened today and the INEC boss was absent again. This made led to the order of his immediate arrest.
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