Party accuses INEC workers of refusing to accept contempt suit for chairperson Yakubu

Staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been accused of allegedly refusing to receive service of Form 48, a contempt proceedings initiating filing, on behalf of the commission’s chair, Mahmood Yakubu.

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The National Publicity Secretary of National Rescue Movement (NRM), Anselem Nebeife, made the allegation in a statement on Friday morning in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Judge Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, granted an application filed by NRM to serve the contempt charge on Mr Yakubu by substituted means through any of the commission’s staff members.

Mr Egwuatu granted the request after counsel for the NRM, Oladimeji Ekengba, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.

However, Mr Nebeife, in the statement, alleged that when the court bailiff, Ayuba Sule, could not reach the INEC chair when he visited INEC headquarters to effect the service of Form 48 on the chairman as ordered by the court. He added that no staff member was ready to receive the documents.

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

“Ayuba obliged them his official identity card, and after reading the content of the document he handed it over to them, quietly gave it back to him and told him to visit the Legal Department.

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“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.’

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“Angered by their disposition, Ayuba dropped the court order and the accompanying Form 48 in front of the Legal Department and left the commission,” he said.

Mr Egwuatu, while delivering the ruling, had directed that the Form 48, which is a notice of the consequence of disobedience of a court order, be served on the INEC chair by handling same to any staff member of the commission at its national headquarters. The judge also fixed 15 July for mention of the case.

The NRM filed the application over allegations that INEC had refused to comply with the court judgement by recognising Edozie Njoku as its national chairman.

(NAN)