A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the arrest of the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for contempt of court — barely hours after he stepped down from office.

Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi, who issued the order on Tuesday, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to apprehend the former electoral chief and initiate committal proceedings within seven days.

Yakubu had earlier in the day handed over the leadership of the electoral body to National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as Acting Chairman pending the appointment of a substantive head. The brief handover ceremony took place during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

The arrest order stems from a long-standing dispute between INEC and the Action Alliance (AA) party over the commission’s alleged failure to comply with a subsisting court judgment. In suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024, filed by the party, the court had directed INEC to upload the name of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as the National Chairman of the AA, along with members of its National Executive Committee (NEC), on its official portal.

The court had earlier affirmed the legitimacy of the party’s October 2023 elective convention, declaring it properly monitored and supervised by INEC officials in line with the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.

Despite INEC’s claim of compliance, Omoaje’s name reportedly remains missing from the commission’s website as of press time, even though the names of state chairmen and other NEC members have been published. The court described the omission as a “willful disobedience” of its lawful order.

A certified copy of the latest ruling, dated October 7, 2025, and signed by O.M. Kilani on behalf of the Court Registrar, read in part:

“It is hereby ordered that the Inspector-General of Police shall cause the arrest and shall charge the defendant/judgment debtors for contempt and committal proceedings within seven days of this ruling.”