Professor Joash Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, warned the African Democratic Congress. He cautioned the party against holding its planned congresses and national convention in defiance of a court order.
Amupitan delivered the message during an interview. He stressed that such defiance could invalidate election results. He added that the candidate with the second-highest votes would then become the winner.
Additionally, Amupitan referenced past cases. He said courts nullified outcomes in Zamfara State after a party defied orders. Similar issues occurred in Plateau State during the last election cycle.
“Let me tell you what happened in Zamfara,” Amupitan stated. “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.”
Furthermore, Amupitan explained the commission’s action. The Court of Appeal directed factions to maintain the status quo pending a Federal High Court suit. INEC withdrew recognition of the leadership factions and refrained from monitoring party activities to obey the order.
Meanwhile the African Democratic Congress, led by Senator David Mark, a former Senate President, announced plans to proceed with its programs. Party leaders demanded the resignation of Amupitan.
They accused the commission of partisanship. Amupitan maintained that the electoral body acted solely on the court directive. He urged the party to consider the legal risks carefully.
