The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate removal of Joash Amupitan as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing him of misinterpreting a court order in the party’s ongoing leadership dispute.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, the party’s national chairman, David Mark, said INEC could no longer be trusted, describing its actions as unlawful and partisan.
Mark explained that the dispute stemmed from a March 12 judgment of the court of appeal directing all parties, including INEC, to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the case before a federal high court.
He noted that although his legal team challenged the jurisdiction of the lower court, the appeal was dismissed, leaving in place the directive to preserve the existing ADC leadership.
“After the judgment, lawyers associated with Nafiu Bala sought recognition from INEC in a manner that distorts the meaning of status quo ante bellum,” Mark said, alleging that the move was backed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“It is not the ADC that is under attack. This is a direct assault on Nigeria’s democracy and the right of Nigerians to choose, participate, and exercise their rights as free citizens,” he added.
“We have witnessed how the APC-led Federal Government has undermined, compromised, and coerced other opposition political parties. The ADC has risen as the last bastion between Nigeria’s democracy and full-blown dictatorship. And this is what worries them.”
Mark said it was surprising when INEC, on April 1, withdrew recognition for both his leadership and the faction linked to Bala, creating what he described as a “false equivalence”.
He insisted that Bala had already resigned from party leadership and could not be validly recognised as a factional leader.
“The crux of the matter is the interpretation of status quo ante bellum. There is no legal precedent that supports INEC’s conclusion,” he said, criticising the commission for failing to seek judicial clarification and accusing it of bias.
According to him, INEC’s action has effectively left the ADC without a recognised leadership, despite lacking constitutional authority to determine or impose party leadership.
“At no time was the ADC without a duly constituted leadership. INEC has invented a status quo that never existed,” Mark said.
“The commission cannot decide who leads a political party. That power does not belong to INEC.”
He further described the electoral body’s action as contempt of court and a threat to the rule of law.
“There is only one conclusion: the electoral umpire has taken sides. It can no longer be trusted,” he added.
