The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s supervision, warning of potential legal consequences.
Amupitan issued the warning on Friday during an interview on Arise TV, following the party’s indication that it would go ahead with its convention despite INEC’s withdrawal of recognition from a faction of the party linked to former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The INEC chairman clarified that the commission’s decision was not arbitrary but based on a subsisting 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,” he said. “INEC didn’t just take a decision. We didn’t just wake up one day and take this decision. There was something that led to it. There was an order of court.”
Amupitan further stated that the court had explicitly directed all parties to refrain from any action that could undermine ongoing legal proceedings. “Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” he added.