NRM: Court Declines Jurisdiction Over Contempt Proceedings Against INEC

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declined jurisdiction over contempt proceedings filed by Edozie Njoku, who claimed to be acting on behalf of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

The ruling was delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who held that the court could not entertain the application seeking to commit the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to prison over alleged contempt of court.

Njoku had filed a Notice to Show Cause on February 23, 2026, accusing INEC of failing to comply with a judgment delivered on March 5, 2025. He argued that the electoral body had disobeyed the court’s directive and should therefore be punished for contempt.

However, INEC opposed the application and filed a counter-affidavit, insisting that it had fully complied with the court’s judgment.

The commission also filed a motion asking the court to decline jurisdiction over the contempt proceedings.

In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu agreed with INEC’s submissions and declined jurisdiction, ordering that the case file be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for further directives.

Reacting to the ruling, the NRM applauded the decision, describing it as proof that justice had been served.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Peter Letsuwa, the party warned individuals against filing applications in its name without authorisation, stressing that such actions would not be tolerated.

The party also clarified that the March 5, 2025 judgment contained three main orders, noting that the first two were declaratory and therefore not enforceable, while the third was an order of mandamus, which INEC had already complied with.

According to the NRM, the judgment did not grant any enforceable rights to Njoku or any other individual.

The party further stated that it had complied with the court’s directive by notifying INEC of its Emergency National Convention held on April 14, 2025, which the commission monitored and later recognised.

NRM accused Njoku of attempting to hijack the party’s leadership through the courts, describing the contempt proceedings as a “decoy.”

The party also recalled that Njoku previously served as a factional chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) before being removed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in November 2024.

According to the NRM, Njoku later claimed membership of the party in December 2024 and allegedly organised what it described as a “kangaroo” gathering on January 17, 2025, where he declared himself the party’s national chairman.

The party said the action was widely condemned, including at a consultative meeting between INEC and political parties held on January 22, 2025, where the chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, criticised the alleged attempt to take over the NRM.

NRM also cited a previous judgment involving APGA in which the Supreme Court stated that no enforceable order had been made in favour of Njoku regarding the party’s leadership.