Appeal Court Stops Police from Arresting INEC Chair

Appeal Court Stops Police from Arresting INEC Chair

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday suspended the bench warrant issued for the arrest of chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu.

A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Stephen Pam, had given the order on August 8, after Mr Yakubu failed to appear in his court for the third time, over a case involving the Anambra State politics.

The case was brought before the lower court by an Anambra State politician, Ejike Oguebego, challenging the commission’s refusal to recognise him as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra in compliance with a Supreme Court judgment of December 2014.

A report by Channels Television, however, said the appellate court on Wednesday suspended the order for Mr Yakubu’s arrest and directed a stay of execution of all applications relating to the substantive suit until determination of appeals filed by INEC at the Court of Appeal.

Mr Yakubu’s lawyer, Adebgboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, confirmed the report and explained that the current order means that the lower court cannot sit, until all pending appeals at the appellate court are decided.

“I confirm that the Court of Appeal has suspended the bench warrant issued against my client. The court has also ordered that all four appeals by INEC should be heard on August 17,” said Mr Awomolo who added that the Appeal Court also ordered a stay of execution of matters at the FHC.