NRM urges INEC to recognise Edozie Njoku as National Chairman

The leadership of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to duly recognise the national executive committee led by Chief Edozie Njoku, warning that failure to comply could result in contempt of court proceedings.

Chief Njoku and other members of the NRM leadership were elected on 17 January 2025 at an emergency national convention held in Abuja.

Prior to the convention, the NRM had secured a court order from the Federal High Court in Abuja on 16 January, mandating INEC to monitor and accept the outcome of the exercise.

However, despite the emergence of Chief Njoku as the party’s National Chairman, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has allegedly declined to recognise him and the newly constituted NEC, in defiance of the court order.

Speaking to journalists at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Asokoro, Chief Njoku expressed confidence that INEC would eventually comply with the court ruling, given that it had not appealed the judgment delivered by Justice Donatus Egwuatu.

“The Commission is in direct violation of existing court orders. It failed to exercise its 90-day window to appeal both the ex parte order and the final judgment, as required by law,” Njoku stated.

He further revealed that INEC was a party to the case and was duly represented throughout the proceedings.

“We have written formally to INEC and forwarded the court orders, trusting that the Commission will act in accordance with the law,” he added.

Justice Egwuatu’s judgment, delivered on 5 March 2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, explicitly directed INEC to recognise Chief Njoku and the officials elected at the emergency convention as the legitimate leadership of the NRM.

The NRM leadership has now threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against INEC should it continue to disregard the court’s directive.