Arrest Warrant: A-Court Sets Up Panel To Hear INEC Boss’ Appeal
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has constituted a special panel to hear an appeal seeking to set aside the bench warrant that directed the Nigeria Police Force to arrest the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for disobeying court orders.
A vacation Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Stephen Pam, had on August 1, ordered Prof. Yakubu’s arrest, following his repeated refusal to honour a summon issued to him to appear before the court to defend a contempt charge against him.
The trial court further re-activated the order last Wednesday, even as it specifically directed the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to ensure that the INEC boss was arrested and produced in court on Tuesday.
Yakubu had on four adjourned dates failed to appear in court to answer to the contempt proceeding initiated against him by Anambra State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by its Chairman and Legal Adviser, Chief Ejike Oguebego, and Chuks Okoye, respectively.
The INEC boss was alleged to have snubbed a Supreme Court judgment that mandated him to only recognise the list of Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates submitted by the Oguebego-led faction of the PDP in Anambra State.
Meanwhile, the three-man special panel of the appellate court has already issued hearing notice for all the parties to appear before it today with respect to an appeal the INEC Chairman lodged against the order for his arrest.
