Abuja, Nigeria — The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has warned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without the oversight of the electoral commission.
Speaking on Friday, April 3, 2026, during an interview on Arise Television, Amupitan said the party risks serious legal consequences if it continues with the process despite INEC’s derecognition of a leadership faction linked to former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Okay News reports that the electoral commission insisted its decision was based on an existing court order and not an arbitrary action. Amupitan explained that the court had already directed parties involved in the dispute to avoid steps that could affect pending proceedings.
“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.
He further stressed that the court specifically instructed parties not to take actions capable of undermining the legal process.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.
The INEC chairman added that the matter of conducting congresses and conventions is already before the courts, and a motion filed on the issue has not yet been determined.
“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.
Amupitan also referenced previous electoral precedents to underline the potential consequences of disobeying court orders. He cited events in Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria, where election victories were later nullified due to legal infractions.
“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 situation in Plateau State, located in north central Nigeria, where failure to comply with court directives influenced electoral outcomes.
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan said.
While acknowledging that the party has the right to make its own decisions, the INEC chairman said the commission is determined to avoid another electoral crisis.
“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he said.
