Court Summons INEC Chairman Amupitan Over Alleged Disobedience of Order in NRM Leadership Case

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, to appear in person on March 10 to explain why he should not be committed to prison over alleged disobedience of a court order.

Justice Obiorah Egwuatu gave the directive on Wednesday during proceedings tied to a judgment delivered on March 5, 2025. In that judgment, the court directed INEC to recognise the outcome of an emergency national convention held on January 17, 2025, which produced the Chief Edozie Njoku-led executives of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

At the resumed hearing, the court expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as non-compliance by the electoral body. Justice Egwuatu held that the INEC Chairman must personally attend court to show cause why he should not be jailed for contempt.

Counsel to the judgment creditor, Oladimeji Ekemgba, told the court that contempt proceedings require personal appearance by the party accused of disobedience, especially where the person is a public officer with constitutional responsibility.

INEC’s counsel, Mr M.S. Bawa, said the Commission’s chairman was in Uyo on official assignment and therefore absent from court.

Despite that explanation, the court maintained that Prof Amupitan must appear in person, noting that he had already been served, by substituted means, with Form 48 and Form 49. Form 48 notifies a party of the consequences of disobeying a court order, while Form 49 requires the person to appear and explain why committal to prison should not follow.

Justice Egwuatu said obedience to valid court orders is fundamental and adjourned the matter to March 10, 2025, for the INEC Chairman’s personal appearance and response.

The dispute traces back to steps taken under former INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu. According to court records cited in the proceedings, INEC’s Election and Party Monitoring department uploaded a different party leadership on the Commission’s portal, despite the subsisting judgment.

Chief Edozie Njoku, identified in court as the legally affirmed National Chairman of NRM, then pursued enforcement through the courts, leading to contempt proceedings over non-compliance.

After the expiration of Yakubu’s tenure, the court substituted the name of the new INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, in the enforcement case, in line with succession principles applicable to public offices.

The court had earlier granted time for compliance and fixed March 4, 2026, expecting that the Commission under new leadership would implement the subsisting judgment. Wednesday’s proceedings, however, shifted focus to personal accountability for continued non-compliance and set up a decisive appearance date for March 10.

The outcome of that sitting is expected to shape the next legal steps in the long-running NRM leadership enforcement matter. The proceedings now centre on whether INEC has complied with the subsisting judgment recognised by the court.