Appeal Court Suspends Arrest Warrant Against INEC Boss, Mahmood Yakubu

Appeal Court Suspends Arrest Warrant Against INEC Boss, Mahmood Yakubu

The arrest warrant for the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, issued by Justice Stephen Pam of the Federal High Court has been suspended by the Court of Appeal, Abuja division.

A 3-man panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki suspended the enforcement of the arrest warrant in a ruling it delivered today, Monday August 13th. Professor Mahmood had filed an appeal before the court, asking that the warrant of arrest issued last week, by Justice Pam, be set aside.

Justice Aboki held that since the matter has been adjourned to September 17th for hearing of the main appeal, “it will be prejudicial for the trial court to proceed with hearing of the matter scheduled for August 14.

Justice Pam on August 1st, 2018, gave the warrant of arrest of Prof. Mahmood following his absence in court to show cause why he should not be sent to prison for contempt of court. The contempt proceeding was filed by Ejike Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, Chairman and Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra State respectively.

The judge made the order for Mahmood to appear before him while ruling on 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 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, respectively.

Following the service of Form 49 on Prof Mahmood, the court summoned him to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for disobeying the order of the court made on December 5, 2014, restraining him from accepting or receiving or according recognition to any list of nominated candidates for elective posts for the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly of Anambra state in the 2015 general elections except those that emanated from the plaintiffs, which order was affirmed by the Supreme Court on January 29, 2016.