The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to produce President Bola Tinubu’s nomination documents for the 1999 Lagos governorship and 2023 presidential elections in the ongoing criminal trial of activist Omoyele Sowore.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar directed Amupitan to appear and testify as a defence witness in the case, which is scheduled to continue on Wednesday, November 11.
The order was contained in a subpoena titled “Subpoena Duces Tecum”, issued in charge number FHC/CR/484/2025 and signed by the presiding judge.
The subpoena specifically requested Tinubu’s INEC Form CF001, including the affidavit relating to lost certificates, which he submitted as a candidate in the 1999 Lagos governorship election.
It also requested the President’s Form CF001 submitted to INEC for the 2023 presidential election.
The order followed a ruling on Monday, November 9, in which the court approved a defence request to subpoena Amupitan and Joe Igbokwe, a former publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, as witnesses.
Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over his social media posts in which he allegedly referred to President Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The court also dismissed Sowore’s separate bid to force the DSS lead counsel to testify as a defence witness.
The case was adjourned until November 11 for the appearance of the subpoenaed defence witnesses.
