INEC Awaits Court Ruling on ADC Leadership

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will determine its response to a judgment against the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership after obtaining and examining the court's certified decision. The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 5, invalidated the David Mark-led caretaker leadership and decisions taken under it, including nominations for the 2027 general elections. INEC's national commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, stated that the commission cannot base its actions on media accounts of the proceedings.

The case arose from a challenge by former ADC deputy national chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe, who argued that he should have assumed the chairmanship following Ralph Nwosu's resignation. The ruling affected the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party's presidential candidate, with Atiku selecting former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate. The ADC has appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution, notifying INEC of both filings in a letter dated November 6.

INEC has rejected reports that it removed Atiku and Amaechi from its online portal, saying it had neither reviewed the certified judgment nor determined its next steps. The party's lawyers asked INEC to suspend further action, but the commission has not taken any position, awaiting the official record of the court's decision. According to Haruna, INEC cannot take a position until it sees the judgment itself.

The developments have raised concerns about the potential for unrest, with Amaechi warning that the judgment could provoke instability. He stated that senior ADC figures had discussed how to prevent an angry response from supporters, and that he, Atiku, and Mark agreed to urge calm and pursue the party's challenge through the courts. The APC has denied involvement in the ADC dispute, describing the litigation as a disagreement among members of the opposition party.

The issue of campaign security also featured in the discussion, following violence during a procession supporting Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi in Asaba, Delta State. One person died and five others sustained injuries in the incident on November 7, with the state police command confirming that officers took the injured to hospital and began investigating the circumstances and those responsible.

Obi condemned the violence and demanded an investigation that would hold perpetrators accountable regardless of their political affiliation. Sumner Sambo, director of news and politics editor at Arise News, warned against allowing disputes over political participation to develop into wider instability. He argued that candidates should compete for public support and that voters should determine the outcome.

In a separate development, retired General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma endorsed President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, citing fair treatment of Christians in government appointments. Sambo described Danjuma's support as politically significant but questioned how far it would influence voters confronting hunger, insecurity, and displacement. The economy remained another source of disagreement between the president and his opponents, with Tinubu blaming Atiku and previous officeholders for problems his administration said it was addressing.

Key points

• INEC awaits certified court judgment on ADC leadership before determining its response
• The judgment invalidated the David Mark-led caretaker leadership and decisions taken under it
• The ADC has appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution