Court Orders INEC Chairman to Appear Over Alleged Contempt of Court

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to personally appear before the court on March 10, 2026, over an alleged contempt of court charge filed by the National Rescue Mission (NRM).

Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the directive on Wednesday after the INEC chairman failed to attend court proceedings in the matter.

During the hearing, counsel to INEC, Mr. M. S. Bawa, requested an adjournment, informing the court that the commission’s chairman could not attend due to an emergency. He added that the commission had already filed a counter-affidavit challenging the contempt proceedings and urging the court to dismiss the application.

However, the request was opposed by counsel to the National Rescue Mission (NRM), Mr. Oladimeji Ekengba, who questioned the absence of the INEC boss in a matter bordering on contempt of court.

According to Ekengba, contempt proceedings require the accused person to be physically present before the court.

“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,” he told the court.

Following the arguments, Justice Egwuatu ordered that a fresh hearing notice be served personally on the INEC chairman, directing him to appear before the court on the next adjourned date.

READ ALSO:

• ICPC, NRC Forge Anti-Graft Alliance to Safeguard Rail Assets
• Pedro Sánchez Rejects Trump Trade Threat, Says ‘No to War’ as EU Backs Spain
• Nigeria officially out of 2026 World Cup as FIFA confirms DR Congo for play-offs

The court had earlier approved substituted service of Form 48, a legal notice warning of the consequences of disobeying a valid court order. The document was ordered to be delivered to any staff member at INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja.

The contempt charge against INEC arose from a judgment delivered by the court on March 5, 2025, which directed the electoral body to recognise the outcome of an emergency convention conducted by the National Rescue Mission on January 17, 2025.

According to the party, the convention produced a new leadership led by Chief Edozie Njoku and was convened to address leadership vacancies and internal imbalances within the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

The NRM alleged that despite being aware of the judgment and having been served with the enrolled order, INEC failed to comply with the court’s directive, prompting the party to initiate contempt proceedings against the commission and its chairman.

In court documents, the party argued that Form 48, which warns a party about the consequences of disobeying a court order, had already been served. The next step in the legal process could involve the issuance of Form 49, requiring the alleged contemnor to appear before the court to explain why he should not face punishment for contempt.

Officials of the National Rescue Mission were present in court during Wednesday’s proceedings, led by Chief Edozie Njoku.

Speaking with journalists after the hearing, Njoku expressed confidence that the INEC chairman would eventually comply with the court’s directive and formally recognise the party’s leadership.

He described the legal dispute as a matter concerning respect for the rule of law and the authority of the judiciary, stressing that all public institutions must obey valid court orders.

The case was subsequently adjourned to March 10, 2026, when Prof. Joash Amupitan is expected to appear before the court to respond to the contempt of court allegation.

Court Orders INEC Chairman to Appear Over Alleged Contempt of Court

MURIC Petitions NASS, Demands Removal of INEC Chairman Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has formally petitioned the National Assembly of Nigeria (NASS), calling for the removal of the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, over allegations of anti-Muslim bias.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, and signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Islamic human rights advocacy group accused the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of exhibiting what it described as “documented anti-Muslim prejudice.”

According to MURIC, Professor Amupitan allegedly authored and circulated an 80-page legal brief on claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria to authorities in the United States. The group claimed the document was later used to indict Nigeria internationally, arguing that it portrayed Nigerian Muslims unfairly and fueled foreign intervention narratives.

The organisation said Islamic groups began demanding the INEC chairman’s removal three months ago but alleged that the Presidency had not responded to their complaints. It further questioned what it called the government’s swift engagement with other interest groups while allegedly adopting a lukewarm approach toward concerns raised by Muslim organisations.

READ ALSO:

• Tinubu swears in Disu as substantive IGP, chief inaugurates up state police committee
• US Military Says It Has Struck Nearly 2,000 Targets in Iran as War Escalates
• FG Bans Roadblocks, Cash Tax Collection Nationwide

MURIC warned that the controversy could affect the credibility of the 2027 general elections, stating that allegations of bias might become central in future election disputes. The group maintained that since the Presidency had not acted on its complaints, it was taking the matter to the “court of the people’s representatives” at the National Assembly.

The organisation emphasized that its demand was not based on religious identity but on what it described as a lack of impartiality. It insisted that the INEC chairman could not effectively serve as a neutral referee in an electoral contest involving Muslim candidates and voters, given the allegations against him. At the same time, MURIC clarified that it was not opposed to Christians occupying the INEC chairmanship, noting that previous Christian officeholders had served without objections from Muslim groups.

The group urged lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly to investigate the allegations and take what it termed appropriate action to safeguard electoral neutrality in Nigeria.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency nor the INEC chairman had issued an official response to the renewed call for his removal. The development adds a fresh dimension to ongoing national conversations about election credibility, religious sensitivity, and institutional impartiality ahead of the 2027 polls.

MURIC Petitions NASS, Demands Removal of INEC Chairman Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias

How Ikwechegh’s ₦1.15tr Interrogation Led to Tinubu’s Cabinet Shake-Up

President Bola Tinubu has removed Doris Uzoka-Anite as Minister of State for Finance and nominated Taiwo Oyedele as her replacement, following a dramatic cabinet reshuffle that came just one week after an explosive budget defence hearing at the House of Representatives.

The development has sparked intense national debate, as it followed public scrutiny over ₦1.15 trillion in approved capital funds that were reportedly not disbursed despite being part of the 2025 federal budget.

On February 25, 2026, Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, member representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, confronted the finance team during the Appropriation Committee’s budget defence session. Armed with documentation from his role on the House Committee on Aids and Loans, Ikwechegh listed major approved loans and funding arrangements, including $1.2 billion for digital infrastructure, $500 million economic stimulus, $500 million MSME support (December 2025), $500 million AfDB-backed economic governance and energy transition funding, additional executive loan requests in multiple currencies, and ₦1.15 trillion — representing 30% of the 2025 capital budget — approved but not disbursed.

Despite these approvals and strong revenue reports from agencies such as FIRS and Nigeria Customs Service, lawmakers were informed that capital project execution stood at zero percent. Ikwechegh pressed the panel, questioning why capital projects across Nigeria remained unfunded while recurrent expenditure had already consumed a significant portion of released funds.

READ ALSO:

• The world dislikes the weak, by Hakeem Baba-Ahmed
• Pastor, Wife Arrested in Bayelsa Over Alleged Rape of 13-Year-Old Girl
• DSS Busts Alleged Arms Trafficking Network in Gombe, Seizes RPGs

When questioned, Minister of Finance Wale Edun reportedly shifted responsibility for disbursements to Uzoka-Anite, prompting the committee to summon her the following day. Uzoka-Anite confirmed that the ₦1.15 trillion had indeed been approved but stated that some ministries had not met “pre-disbursement conditions.” Lawmakers demanded clarification on which ministries had met all requirements yet failed to receive funding. She was unable to name any, raising concerns over whether funds were approved without adequate verification or whether allocations were being withheld without justification.

Exactly seven days after the initial hearing, the presidency announced a cabinet reshuffle. In a statement issued by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Uzoka-Anite was reassigned to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as Minister of State, marking her third portfolio under the Tinubu administration. She had previously served as Minister of Trade and Investment before moving to Finance. Her replacement nominee, Taiwo Oyedele, now awaits Senate confirmation. The official statement did not directly link the reshuffle to the budget defence hearing, but the timing has fueled widespread public speculation.

Taiwo Oyedele is a respected tax expert and economist who previously chaired the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. Before his nomination, he spent over two decades at PwC, rising to become Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader. He is widely known for leading tax reform initiatives aimed at simplifying Nigeria’s tax system and broadening the revenue base. If confirmed, Oyedele will work alongside Wale Edun at the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The controversy surrounding the ₦1.15 trillion capital budget funds highlights deeper concerns about budget implementation, public finance transparency, and accountability in Nigeria. While the cabinet reshuffle signals a political response, the core question remains unresolved: Where is the ₦1.15 trillion approved for capital projects?

If funds were approved by the National Assembly but not released for infrastructure development, the implications extend beyond politics to roads, hospitals, schools, and economic growth nationwide. For many Nigerians, the sequence of events suggests that legislative oversight may have triggered executive action. Whether further investigation or accountability measures will follow remains to be seen.

How Ikwechegh’s ₦1.15tr Interrogation Led to Tinubu’s Cabinet Shake-Up