Dont proceed with planned congresses, National convention – INEC Chairman warns ADC

Dont proceed with planned congresses,
National convention – INEC Chairman warns ADC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without regulatory oversight, citing ongoing legal constraints.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, issued the caution on Friday during an appearance on Arise TV, amid the party’s insistence on holding its convention despite the commission’s withdrawal of recognition from a faction linked to Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola.

Amupitan stressed that the commission’s position is anchored on a subsisting court order and not an arbitrary decision.

“So if they are going ahead with their congress, with their convention, it’s left for them to look at it, whether it is in contravention of the court. INEC didn’t just take a decision. We didn’t just wake up one day and took this decision. There was something that led to it. There was an order of court,” he said.

He explained that the court had expressly restrained parties from taking steps that could undermine ongoing proceedings.

“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.

According to the INEC boss, the dispute over the conduct of congresses and conventions is already before the court, with a motion seeking to halt such activities yet to be decided.

“So, if already they are asking that don’t do any congress, don’t do any convention, it is a relief that is being claimed. And especially they filed a motion for that purpose, that motion has not been determined,” he added.

Amupitan warned that ignoring court directives could invalidate any electoral gains, drawing parallels with previous political crises.

“Let me tell you what happened in Zamfara. It happened in the past. We don’t want to conduct an election without this early warning, and at the end of the day, after you have won, the court again will come and declare the election invalid. And the implication is that the person with the second highest number of vote will be declared the winner,” he said.

He also cited the Plateau experience as another example of the consequences of disobedience to judicial orders.

“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan noted.

While maintaining that the ADC retains the right to proceed with its internal activities, the INEC chairman made it clear that the commission would not risk repeating past electoral setbacks.

“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he said.