Tension in INEC as NRM serves chairman contempt order

Mahmoud, Commission staff go into hiding

There was palpable fear at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, June 19, 2025, when the court bailiff, Mr. Ayuba Sule, stormed the Commission to serve Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu Form 48 as ordered by the court.

In Nigerian law, Form 48 is a legal document used to notify an individual or party of the consequences of disobeying a court order. Here’s what you need to know about Form 48

Form 48 serves as a warning to the alleged contemnor, the party disobeying the court order, of the potential consequences of their actions.

It gives them an opportunity to comply with the order and avoid further legal action.

Mr. Sule first got to the INEC Chairman’s office, but his staff requested him to identify himself.

Ayuba obliged them his official identity card.

After reading the content of the document he handed to them, they quietly gave it back to him and told him to visit the Legal Department.

On getting to the Legal Department, another drama ensued involving Ayuba and another INEC staff.

Upon handing over the document to the staff, the said staff stealthily scanned through and speedily returned it and said: “can’t you see that this is Form 48? Please, I love my job ooo!”

Angered by their disposition, Ayuba dropped the court order and the accompanying Form 48 in front of the Legal Department and left the Commission.

Recall that the Federal High Court, Abuja, suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/45/2025, per Egwuatu, had on June 17 issued an ex parte order for the National Rescue Movement (NRM) to serve Prof. Yakubu.

The judge ordered that the INEC Chairman be served through substituted service, implying that the court can serve any INEC staff.

“It is deeply concerning and worrisome that INEC under Mahmoud is becoming a ridicule.

“A study of the March 5, 2025 Judgment of the Court clearly instructed INEC to obey the January 16, 2025, order by monitoring the party’s emergency national convention which held on the January 17.

When INEC refused to obey this order, the court went ahead to give judgement on the substantive suit ordering INEC to recognize and accept the outcome of the said emergency national convention.

The convention produced new National Executives for the party, under the ebullient leadership of Chief Edozie Njoku.

It was Mahmoud’s defiance to and utter disregard of this judgment that necessitated NRM going back to court.

In the legal sense, Form 48 is a quasi-criminal proceeding which tends to properly educate and inform a defendant of the implications of his disobedience to subsisting court judgment.

Clearly, Mahmoud’s name is synonymous with disobedience to court orders and judgments.

What transpired at INEC today between the Court bailiff and some staff of the Commission was considered disrespectful to the judiciary and an utter disregard for the rule of law by legal pundits.

Interestingly, NRM said it is determined to hold Mahmoud to account and ensure he doesn’t go scotch free with his incurable penchant for abuse of the judiciary.

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