Breaking: INEC Issues New Warning ADC as Party Crisis Continues, "Your Election May be Invalidated"
- INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, warned the African Democratic Congress against holding congresses and a national convention without commission oversight
- Amupitan emphasised that INEC’s actions were based on a subsisting court order and not discretionary power
- He cited past cases in Zamfara and Plateau State to caution that defying court orders could invalidate election results
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over plans to hold congresses and a national convention amid an ongoing leadership dispute.
INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, made the warning on Friday during an interview with Arise TV, following the party’s declaration to proceed with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of the leadership faction linked to former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Source: Facebook
“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 took this decision. There was something that led to it. There was an order of court,” Amupitan said.
Court orders underpin INEC’s stance
The chairman emphasised that INEC’s actions are based on a subsisting court order, not discretionary power.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” he stated.
He stressed that the question of conducting party congresses and conventions is already under judicial consideration.
Amupitan added,
“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.”
Past precedents warn of electoral consequences
Drawing on prior electoral disputes, the INEC chairman cautioned that ignoring court orders could have severe consequences for election outcomes.
“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 declare the election invalid. And the implication is that the person with the second highest number of vote will be declared the winner,” he said.
He also highlighted Plateau State as a case where non-compliance with court directives affected results, saying,
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences.”
INEC reaffirms neutrality, warns against crisis
While acknowledging the party’s right to make independent decisions, Amupitan said INEC would not allow itself to be drawn into avoidable conflicts.
“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he concluded.
Source: Legit.ng
