The Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned 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 initiated by the National Rescue Mission (NRM).
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date after counsel to INEC, Mr. M.S. Bawa, sought an adjournment to enable him secure the presence of the INEC Chairman in court.
Bawa informed the court that Prof. Amupitan had encountered an emergency that prevented his attendance at the proceedings.
The INEC lawyer also disclosed that a counter-affidavit had been filed challenging the competence of the contempt charge and seeking its dismissal.
Earlier, counsel to the NRM, Mr. Oladimeji Ekengba, drew the court’s attention to the absence of the INEC Chairman, insisting that contempt proceedings required the defendant’s physical presence in the dock.
“My Lord, this is a contempt charge that requires the defendant to be present in the dock while the proceedings are ongoing. We wonder why he is not here today,” Ekengba submitted.
Before adjourning the matter, Justice Egwuatu ordered that a fresh hearing notice be served on the INEC Chairman.
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The court had previously granted an order for substituted service of the contempt charge, directing that Form 48, notice of the consequences of disobeying a court order, be delivered to any staff member at INEC’s national headquarters.
The order followed an ex-parte application by the NRM, which alleged that INEC and its Chairman disobeyed a mandamus order issued on March 5, 2025.
The order directed the electoral body to recognise the outcome of the party’s emergency convention held on January 17, 2025, which produced Chief Edozie Njoku-led executives.
According to the NRM, the convention was convened to fill vacancies and address imbalances within its National Executive Committee (NEC).
The party maintained that despite being present in court when judgment was delivered and subsequently served with the enrolled order, INEC had failed to comply.
In its supporting affidavit, the NRM argued that Form 48 was issued to compel the INEC Chairman to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for alleged disobedience of the court’s judgment.
National officers of the NRM, led by Chief Edozie Njoku, were present in court during the proceedings. Speaking to journalists after the adjournment, Njoku expressed optimism that the INEC Chairman would ultimately comply with the court’s directive by recognising the party’s leadership.
