The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, to appear before it on March 10 to answer a contempt charge filed by the National Rescue Mission (NRM).
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date after counsel to INEC, M.S. Bawa, sought an adjournment, explaining that an emergency had prevented the INEC chairman from attending the court session.
Bawa also informed the court that a counter-affidavit had been filed challenging the competence of the contempt proceedings and urging the court to set aside the charge.
However, counsel to the NRM, Oladimeji Ekengba, insisted that contempt proceedings require the physical presence of the alleged contemnor in court.
“My Lord, this is a contempt charge that requires the defendant to be present in the dock. We wonder why he is not here today,” Ekengba told the court.
Before adjourning the matter, Justice Egwuatu directed that a fresh hearing notice be served on the INEC chairman.
The court had earlier granted an order for substituted service, allowing Form 48 — a notice warning of the consequences of disobeying a court order — to be served on the chairman through any staff member at INEC’s national headquarters.
The contempt proceedings arose from an ex parte motion filed by the NRM, alleging that INEC and its chairman failed to comply with a mandamus order issued by the court on March 5, 2025.
The order had directed INEC to recognise the outcome of an emergency convention of the party held on January 17, 2025, which produced the executive committee led by Chief Edozie Njoku.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, the NRM stated that INEC was fully aware of both the convention and the court’s judgment, noting that the commission’s legal representative was present when the ruling was delivered.
According to the party, despite being served with the enrolled order, INEC allegedly failed to comply with the directive.
Part of the affidavit read: “To prevent reducing this Honourable Court to a toothless bulldog and to uphold justice, the Registrar, on the Judgment Creditor’s application, issued Form 48 to be served on the Respondent’s Chairman to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for failing to comply with the judgment.”
NRM officials, led by Chief Edozie Njoku, were present in court during the proceedings.
Speaking after the adjournment, Njoku expressed optimism that INEC would comply with the court’s order and formally recognise the leadership of the party.
