The Independent National Electoral Commission has pledged to comply with any court ruling on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission was bound by the Constitution to respect judicial decisions, particularly those of the Supreme Court, irrespective of public opinion.
He made this known on Thursday during a dialogue organised by Chatham House in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative in London. The event was themed, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
Amupitan was responding to a question on whether Atiku could fly the ADC flag in 2027 if the court judgment invalidating the leadership headed by former Senate President David Mark remained in effect.
He said, “If he eventually fails, well, I’m obligated under Section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court.”
The INEC chairman recalled that the commission had advocated a speedy resolution of the ADC leadership dispute when it emerged in April, proposing that the case be concluded within three weeks to prevent disruptions to preparations for the next general elections.
“When it happened in April, the position of the commission was that the matter should be resolved within three weeks,” he said.
He added that INEC had respected a court order directing it to suspend further action on the dispute pending the determination of the case, which was subsequently taken to the appellate court.
Amupitan also expressed concern over the increasing volume of election-related lawsuits confronting the commission, disclosing that more than 300 cases were pending against INEC as preparations for the 2027 elections continued.
“Some of those issues we have with court cases, over 300 cases hanging on the neck of INEC, and elections is just about 66 days away,” he said.
He revealed that the commission had begun procuring sensitive materials for the 2027 polls and called for changes to the electoral process to ensure that pre-election disputes were settled between six months and one year before election day.
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According to him, resolving such cases early would enable INEC to complete its preparations and logistical arrangements without unnecessary complications.
The chairman further acknowledged that the commission could face public backlash for enforcing judicial decisions, even though it had a constitutional responsibility to comply with them.
His remarks come against the backdrop of an ongoing leadership crisis in the ADC, which has cast uncertainty over the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
On November 5, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, nullified the Mark-led leadership of the party, ruling that the process through which the former Senate President and other national officers emerged was unlawful.
The judgment followed a case instituted by former ADC Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led executive after the resignation of former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, and other party officials.
The court also invalidated actions taken by the disputed leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
It further ordered INEC not to recognise or act on resolutions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Journalists reports that the dispute took another turn after the court rejected a controversial resignation letter purportedly written by Gombe, further intensifying the contest over the party’s leadership.
However, the ADC has faulted the judgment and promised to appeal the decision.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, insisted that Gombe willingly resigned from his position, maintaining that the party possessed the original letter bearing his signature.
Justice Lifu, however, held that the document was insufficient to establish that Gombe had voluntarily resigned.
The dispute has consequently raised concerns over the legitimacy of the ADC’s leadership structure and the validity of decisions, including candidate nominations, made under the Mark-led executive ahead of the 2027 general elections.