Stephen Pam, a judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, August 8, 2018, ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest and bring the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, to court for refusing to obey a valid court order.
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.
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 having disobeyed 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.
Meanwhile, the court reaffirmed the order due to the absent of Mahmood in court despite the warrant of arrest issued against him on August 1st.
The judge recollected that the matter was adjourned to August 8, for continuation of the contempt proceeding against INEC, and it’s Chairman, Prof Mahmood.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Goddy Uche SAN had earlier told the court that the INEC Chairman had blatantly refused to obey an order of court summoning him to appear in court.
However, in his ruling, Justice Pam said the matter was adjourned for continuation of the contempt proceeding and for the INEC Chairman to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for contempt.
Justice Pam noted that the order of August 1st, was still subsisting and has not been set aside or discharged.
The court noted that counsel to the INEC boss said he did not know the whereabouts of Prof Mahmood.
Consequently, Justice Pam ordered the police to bring Professor Mahmood to court on August 14, 2018.
