Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered INEC Chairman Amupitan to produce Tinubu's 1999 and 2023 nomination forms in Sowore's criminal trial. Details here.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, to produce President Bola Tinubu's nomination documents for the 1999 Lagos governorship election and the 2023 presidential election in the ongoing criminal trial of Omoyele Sowore. The court issued a subpoena directing Amupitan to appear and testify as a defence witness.
*BREAKING: Court Orders INEC Chairman Amupitan To Produce Tinubu's 1999, 2023 Election Documents In Sowore's Criminal Trial*
The order was given on Monday, November 9, 2026, by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, in Charge No. FHC/CR/484/2025, Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Omoyele Sowore.
*What The Court Ordered INEC Chairman To Produce*
The subpoena, titled "Subpoena Duces Tecum", specifically commands Amupitan to produce two sets of documents:
*1. 1999 Lagos Governorship Election Documents*
INEC Form CF001 submitted by Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a candidate in the 1999 Lagos State governorship election, including the "Affidavit in Respect of Lost Certificates."
*2. 2023 Presidential Election Documents*
INEC Form CF001 submitted by Tinubu as a candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
The court directed Amupitan to appear at Courtroom No. 5, Fourth Floor, Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, at 9am on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, to produce the documents and testify on behalf of the defendant.
*Why Is This Happening?*
Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over social media posts in which he allegedly described President Tinubu as a "criminal". Sowore has pleaded not guilty.
Sowore's defence team requested the documents as part of its defence case. The court granted the request to subpoena Amupitan and also Joe Igbokwe, a former publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, as defence witnesses.
The court however dismissed Sowore's separate bid to compel Akinlolu Kehinde, the lead counsel for the DSS, to testify as a defence witness.
*What This Subpoena Does NOT Mean*
A subpoena only orders a person to appear and produce specified documents. It does not establish that the documents contain false information or that any electoral wrongdoing occurred. What the documents contain and how they relate to the trial will depend on the evidence presented before the court.
The case was adjourned until November 11, 2026, for the appearance of the subpoenaed defence witnesses.
