Ampuitan Warns ADC Against Holding Convention Without INEC Supervision
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has warned the African Democratic Congress, African Democratic Congress (ADC), against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s supervision, citing a subsisting court order and the risk of legal consequences.
Amupitan gave the warning during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, following the party’s insistence that it would go ahead with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of the leadership linked to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola.
He said INEC’s decision was not arbitrary but based on legal advice and an existing court directive.
“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,” he said.
According to him, the court had specifically warned against taking any action capable of undermining the proceedings before it.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.
He explained that the issue of the ADC’s congresses and convention is already part of the matters before the court, noting that a motion seeking to restrain such actions is still pending.
“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,” he added.
The INEC chairman warned that ignoring the court order could lead to a repeat of past electoral crises, where victories were later nullified by the courts.
“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 come and 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 referred to a similar development in Plateau State, saying disobedience to court rulings has serious political consequences.
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan noted.
While insisting that the ADC could choose its own path, Amupitan maintained that INEC would not risk acting in violation of the law.
“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
