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By Ayo Kehinde
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with scheduled congresses and its national convention without the commission’s oversight, warning that the challenge could have serious legal and electoral repercussions.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, stressed that the commission’s removal of recognition of ADC leadership linked to former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola is pegged to an existing court order, not arbitrary discretion.
“So if they’re going forward with their congress, with their convention, it’s up to them to look at it, whether it’s in violation of the court. INEC didn’t just make a decision. We didn’t just wake up one day and make this decision.”
“There was something that led to this. There was a court order,” Amupitan said.
The CENI president underlined that the Court has explicitly instructed political parties to refrain from any action that could compromise pending judicial proceedings.
“Do nothing. Do not take any step that would render any proceedings before the court ineffective,” he said.
Amupitan noted that the issue of conducting conferences and conventions is currently an open question before the courts.
“So, if they are already asking not to hold any congress, not to hold any convention, it is a relief that is requested. And above all they presented a motion for this purpose, that motion was not decided”, he added.
Citing historical precedents, the INEC president warned that ignoring the court’s directives could invalidate election results, risking candidates with the second highest votes being declared winners.
“Let me tell you what happened in Zamfara. It happened in the past. We don’t want to conduct an election without this notice and eventually after we win, the court will come again and declare the election invalid.
“And the implication is that the person with the second-most votes will be declared the winner,” he said.
He further referred to Plateau State as another example where failure to comply with court directives affected election results.
“It happened in Plateau state during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan noted.
While affirming the party’s right to make its own choices, he reiterated that INEC will not allow itself to be dragged into another avoidable crisis.
“They are free to do whatever they want, but INEC does not want to find themselves in this situation again,” he said.
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