Federal High Court issues arrest warrant against INEC Chairman

By Ezekiel Dontinna 

The Federal High Court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, has issued an arrest warrant against the Chairman, Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood, for failure to tender documents applied for by Counsel to Defendant in the case between Jonathan Azi Nyako and Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This came to fore at the resumed sitting at the Federal High Court, Jos, the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria V Jonathan Azi Nyako in Charge No. FHC/J/CR/35/2021 before Honourable Justice D. V. Agishi, which came up for continuation of defense.

The case has S.E. Okemini, Esq who appeared for the Prosecution (EFCC), while for the defendant, A. G. Yirvoms, Esq, C. B. Ameh, Esq, and N. K. Dariyem, Esq all appeared as Jonathan Azi Nyako Counsels.

During the proceedings, the lead Counsel to Defendant, A.G. Yirvoms Esq, informed the Court that the matter was slated for continuation of defense and they had served a Subpoena Doces Tecum dated January 30, 2025 on the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to tender documents which were earlier applied for certification.

The Counsel disclosed that the documents were INEC LETTER; INEC/CPPO/004/1/44 dated 14th March, 2014 captioned: COMMITTEE ON PARTICIPATION OF PAST NATIONAL COMMISSIONERS, RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS, SECRETARIES AND DIRECTORS ON ELECTION PROCESS; SHIBANY ATTORNEYS LETTER FOR CERTIFICATION OF INEC LETTER DATED 11TH JULY, 2024 and preceeding letters which were never replied to nor honoured.

He said, INEC received the subpoena duces tecum on the 4th February, 2025 against the adjourned date which was 18th February, 2025. 

However, the INEC Chairman not being in Court to tender the said documents, lead Counsel to the defendant, A. G. Yirvoms applied for a bench warrant against the INEC Chairman for violating the Order of Court to bring before the court the documents sought to be tendered.

The Prosecutor, S.E. Okemini, did not oppose to the application and was granted by the court. The matter was adjourned to the 13th of March, 2025 for continuation of Defense.