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.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Arise TV, Amupitan issued the warning following indications by the party that it would go ahead with its convention despite INEC’s decision to derecognise the leadership associated with former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola. He warned that such action could lead to serious legal consequences.
According to him, the commission’s stance was based on an existing court order rather than any arbitrary action.
“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.
Amupitan explained that the court had expressly instructed parties to avoid taking steps that could jeopardise ongoing proceedings.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory,” Amupitan stated.
He added that the matter of conducting congresses and conventions is already before the court.
“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.
Referring to previous electoral cases, the INEC chairman warned that ignoring court directives could result in the nullification of election victories, with the runner-up declared winner.
“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 mentioned Plateau State as another instance where disobedience to court orders influenced electoral outcomes.
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election… failure to obey the court order has consequences,” Amupitan said.
While noting that the party retains the freedom to make its own decisions, he stressed that INEC would avoid being entangled in a preventable situation.
“They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he said.
Tunde Adeleke
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