The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned the African Democratic Congress, ADC, against holding its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s oversight.
Amupitan delivered the threat on Friday during an interview with Arise TV, after the party indicated that it would hold its convention despite INEC’s de-recognition of the leadership associated with former Senate President David Mark and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
He stated that such a move could result in severe legal consequences.
He emphasized that the commission’s decision was based on an existing court ruling, not arbitrary discretion.
“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 take this decision. There was something that led to it. There was an order of court,” he said.
Amupitan said the court had specifically directed parties to refrain from any action capable of undermining pending proceedings.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.
The INEC boss noted that the question of conducting congresses and conventions was already a live issue before the courts.
“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.
Alluding to past precedents, Amupitan cautioned that defying court orders could invalidate election results, with the candidate with the second-highest votes ultimately being declared winner.
“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 votes will be declared the winner,” he said.
He also referenced Plateau State as another example of how noncompliance with court orders influenced electoral results.
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan said.
While accepting the party’s freedom to make its own decisions, he stated that INEC would not allow itself to be pushed into another unnecessary conflict.
“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he said.
