The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has said the commission will comply with any court ruling determining whether former Vice President Atiku Abubakar can contest the 2027 presidential election under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Amupitan explained that INEC was constitutionally required to obey court orders, particularly decisions issued by the Supreme Court, regardless of public reactions.
He made the statement on Thursday during a dialogue organised in London by Chatham House in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative. The event was themed “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot. Responding to a question about Atiku’s eligibility to contest under the ADC if the court ruling against the leadership faction headed by former Senate President David Mark remained in force, Amupitan said the commission would follow the law and respect the court’s final decision.
He added that when the ADC leadership dispute emerged in April, INEC had called for an accelerated hearing, proposing that the matter be resolved within three weeks to prevent complications ahead of the 2027 elections. According to him, the commission had also complied with a court directive to suspend action and wait for the outcome of the case, which was subsequently taken to the Court of Appeal. Amupitan expressed concern over the increasing number of election-related lawsuits involving INEC, disclosing that more than 300 cases were pending against the commission as the elections approached.
He also revealed that procurement of sensitive election materials had commenced, stressing the need for reforms to ensure that pre-election disputes were settled between six months and one year before voting. He said early resolution would give INEC enough time to complete its preparations and logistical arrangements. The INEC chairman acknowledged that the commission could face public criticism for implementing court decisions but maintained that it was legally bound to obey them.
His comments come amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the ADC, which has created uncertainty surrounding the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections. On November 5, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the leadership of the ADC faction led by Mark, ruling that the process through which he and other national officers emerged was unlawful.
The judgment followed a lawsuit filed by former ADC Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership after the resignation of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu and other party officials. The court also invalidated decisions made by the disputed leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate. It further restrained INEC from recognizing or acting on decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The ADC has rejected the judgment and promised to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. Its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, maintained that Gombe voluntarily resigned and that the party possessed the original resignation letter bearing his signature. However, Justice Lifu ruled that the document did not provide reliable evidence that Gombe had voluntarily resigned. The legal dispute has raised questions about the validity of the ADC’s leadership structure and the nominations made under the Mark-led executive ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC says it will follow the court’s final decision on whether Atiku can contest the 2027 presidential election under the ADC. The commission is also concerned about more than 300 pending legal cases and wants pre-election disputes resolved earlier.
Leave a comment