The Elections Transparency Group (ETG) in Abuja has issued a warning to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, about the potential consequences of the commission’s failure to obey a recent Supreme Court judgement. The judgement in question reaffirmed Chief Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), following his wrongful removal by a Jigawa High Court.

The ETG has given the INEC Chairman seven days to implement the Supreme Court judgement, and has threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against him if he fails to do so. The group has expressed its concern that INEC has continued to disregard the clear and unambiguous judgement delivered by the Supreme Court on March 24, 2023.

The Supreme Court judgement addressed an application by Chief Njoku, in which he sought the regularization of the amended judgement of Justice Mary Peter Odili delivered on May 9, 2022. The Court held that it was Chief Edozie Njoku that was wrongly removed at Jigawa without being joined as a party, and that the accidental slip in the Jigawa High Court judgement had been corrected. As a result, Chief Edozie Njoku has been restored as the actual National Chairman of APGA.

The ETG has stated that INEC must accord recognition to Chief Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of APGA, as he was wrongfully removed in the Jigawa High Court judgement that has been set aside. The group has emphasized that Nigeria is not a banana republic and that INEC must not act in contempt against the rule of law. The ETG has called on Prof Yakubu to either obey the Supreme Court judgement or face the consequences.

The ETG reiterated that it has given the INEC Chairman seven days to implement the judgement and has threatened to initiate contempt proceedings if he fails to do so. The group has stressed that Nigeria is not a banana republic and that INEC must not act in contempt against the rule of law.