Don’t defy Court order – INEC Chairman warns ADC
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The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has cautioned the African Democratic Congress against proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention without the commission’s supervision.
Speaking on Friday during an appearance on Arise TV, Amupitan issued the warning after the party signalled its intention to go ahead with its convention despite INEC’s derecognition of a faction linked to former Senate President David Mark and ex-Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
He stressed that such a move could carry serious legal implications.
Amupitan explained that the commission’s position was based strictly on an existing court order, not a unilateral decision.
“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 added that the court had expressly instructed parties to avoid actions that could interfere with ongoing legal proceedings.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.
According to him, the matter of conducting congresses and conventions is already before the courts, with a pending motion yet to be decided.
“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.
Citing past incidents, Amupitan warned that ignoring court orders could have far-reaching consequences, including the nullification of election victories and the declaration of runners-up as winners.
“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.
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