A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), to appear before it and produce official electoral records relating to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The judicial order was issued on Monday, November 9, 2026, as part of a subpoena duces tecum granted in the ongoing criminal trial of human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
Under the terms of the subpoena issued by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar in suit number FHC/CR/484/2025, the INEC Chairman is required to present Tinubu’s Form CF001 submitted during the 1999 Lagos State governorship election, including an accompanying affidavit concerning lost certificates, as well as the Form CF001 submitted for the 2023 presidential election.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) following statements in which he publicly described President Tinubu as a criminal; a characterization that led to the criminal charges.
The defence team applied for the subpoena to tender the certified true copies of the electoral documents in court to support their defence.
In addition to the order against the electoral chief, the court approved a separate subpoena compelling an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, to testify as a witness for the defence.
However, Justice Umar set aside an earlier subpoena issued against the DSS lead prosecuting counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN). Ruling on the matter, the judge held that legal counsel representing a party in an active trial cannot be compelled to testify as a witness in the same proceeding.
Justice Umar adjourned the case to November 11, 2026, for continuation of trial.
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