The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has warned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s supervision.
Amupitan gave the caution during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, following the party’s decision to move ahead with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of the leadership associated with David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola.
He explained that INEC’s stance is based on legal considerations, particularly an existing court order.
“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 directed parties to avoid actions that could undermine ongoing proceedings.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.
He noted that the issue of conducting congresses and conventions is already part of a pending legal process.
“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 court orders could lead to serious consequences, referencing past electoral cases.
“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 cited a similar development in Plateau State.
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan noted.
While stressing that the ADC is free to make its own decisions, he made it clear that INEC is determined to avoid a repeat of such scenarios.
“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he said.