The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), to appear before it on March 10 to answer a contempt charge brought against him by the National Rescue Mission.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu fixed the date on Wednesday after counsel to INEC, M.S. Bawa, sought an adjournment to enable him to secure the presence of the commission’s chairman in court.
Bawa told the court that Amupitan was unable to attend proceedings due to an emergency.
He further disclosed that a counter-affidavit had been filed challenging the competence of the contempt charge and urging the court to quash it.
However, counsel to the NRM, Oladimeji Ekengba, insisted that the INEC chairman ought to have been physically present in court, stressing that contempt proceedings required the alleged contemnor to be in the dock.
“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,” Ekengba submitted.
Before adjourning the matter, Justice Egwuatu directed that a fresh hearing notice be served on the INEC chairman.
