ADC Crisis: INEC Moves to Decide Atiku’s Candidacy After Court Ruling

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will meet next week to consider the implications of a Federal High Court judgment that invalidated the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and affected the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.

INEC said it would not take a position until it obtained and examined the certified true copy of the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja on Thursday.

The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the position in an interview with Sunday PUNCH.

Haruna explained that the commission could not rely on media reports to make an official decision on the matter.

“We can’t take a position until we see the judgment ourselves. We have to get the certified true copy because we don’t take decisions or reports of what the court said based on reports because the reports could be wrong,” he said.

He added that the commission would deliberate on the matter at its meeting next week and comply with any subsequent court order.

The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, who challenged the process that produced the party’s leadership.

The court reportedly nullified the emergence of the Mark-led caretaker leadership and set aside decisions taken under it, including Atiku’s nomination as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Atiku emerged as the ADC presidential candidate in May after joining the opposition party amid efforts to build a coalition ahead of the election.

The ADC has rejected the court decision, describing it as politically motivated, and indicated that it would challenge the ruling.

The legal dispute has created uncertainty over the party’s leadership and presidential ticket as political preparations for the 2027 general election continue.

INEC’s eventual position is expected to depend on the contents of the certified judgment and any further orders issued by the courts.