The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, on June 17 directed that Form 48 a legal notice warning of the consequences of disobeying a court order be served through substituted means, after several failed attempts to deliver it directly to Yakubu.

According to a Friday statement from Anselem Nebeife, NRM’s National Publicity Secretary, a court bailiff, Ayuba Sule, was blocked repeatedly by INEC staff when he attempted to serve the contempt notice at the commission’s headquarters.

“Mr Ayuba first visited the INEC chairman’s office, but his staff requested identification. After reading the document, they refused to receive it and redirected him to the legal department,” the statement read.

At the legal department, the bailiff was again turned away. Frustrated, he reportedly left the court documents at the entrance of INEC’s legal department before exiting the premises.

The contempt charge arises from INEC’s alleged refusal to obey a mandamus order issued on March 5, which compelled the commission to recognise the outcome of NRM’s emergency convention held on January 17. The convention had elected Edozie Njoku as the party’s national chairman and sought to resolve leadership disputes within the party.

INEC is accused of deliberately ignoring the court ruling, despite being formally aware of it, which prompted the court to issue Form 48 as a warning of potential imprisonment for the INEC chairman.

An affidavit submitted by Adebayo Wasiu explained that the court’s directive was necessary “to prevent this honourable court from being rendered impotent and to uphold the cause of justice.”

Due to INEC’s internal policy mandating that all legal documents be submitted through a registry located at its main gate, the court approved substituted service.

The matter has been adjourned to July 15, with Yakubu now formally on notice of potential committal proceedings if INEC continues to flout the court’s order.