The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the commission will comply with any court judgment determining former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election, amid the ongoing leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Amupitan gave the assurance on Thursday, while speaking at the Chatham House in London, where he was questioned about whether Atiku could emerge as the ADC’s presidential candidate if the court judgment nullifying the leadership of the faction led by former Senate President David Mark remained in force.
The INEC chairman maintained that the commission was constitutionally bound to respect judicial decisions, particularly those issued by the Supreme Court, stressing that the outcome of the legal dispute would determine the commission’s next steps regarding the party and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
“If he eventually fails, well, I am obligated under Section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court,” Amupitan said.
The controversy follows a Federal High Court judgment that has raised questions about the validity of Atiku’s nomination as the ADC presidential candidate.
The party has, however, indicated its intention to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The dispute centres on the leadership of the ADC faction associated with David Mark and the implications of the court’s decision for the party’s preparations for the next general election.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC had pushed for an accelerated hearing when the leadership dispute emerged in April, arguing that resolving the matter early would allow the commission to make adequate preparations for the elections without being held back by prolonged litigation.
According to him, the commission had proposed that the dispute be resolved within three weeks to prevent uncertainty from affecting its electoral timetable.
He explained that INEC subsequently complied with a court directive to suspend further action and await the determination of the matter, which later proceeded to the appellate court.
The chairman expressed concern about the growing number of court cases involving the electoral commission, revealing that more than 300 cases were currently pending against INEC. He said the volume of litigation placed considerable pressure on the commission, particularly as preparations for the 2027 general election gathered momentum.
Amupitan recalled the difficulties associated with handling multiple legal disputes close to an election, noting that there had been a period when voting was approximately 66 days away while several cases remained unresolved.
He further disclosed that the commission had commenced the procurement of sensitive election materials for the 2027 polls, indicating that preparations were already underway despite the legal challenges surrounding some political parties.
Amupitan called for reforms to Nigeria’s electoral dispute resolution process, proposing that pre-election cases should be concluded between six months and one year before elections.
He argued that an earlier resolution of political and nomination disputes would give INEC sufficient time to finalise its logistics, organise the electoral process and avoid disruptions caused by last-minute court decisions.
