INEC says it has no court papers yet on ruling against Atiku's ADC ticket
- INEC says it has not received the certified copy of the judgment that nullified the ADC's Mark-led leadership.
- The commission denies reports that it removed Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi from its candidate list.
- The ADC and Atiku both reject the ruling and say they will appeal.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has not yet received the certified true copy of the court judgment that nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the candidates its primaries produced.
That means the commission has not taken any decision on the ruling, and reports that it has removed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, from its portal are not correct.
A check on INEC's portal on Friday showed Atiku and Amaechi still listed as the ADC's presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2027 general elections.
What INEC is saying
Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission had not received the judgment and had not met to discuss it.
“I don't know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven't received the judgment yet,”
he told Daily Trust.
Haruna said getting a certified true copy of a judgment takes time, usually about a week, and that the commission cannot act on a ruling it has not officially received.
The clarification came a day after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the Mark-led leadership of the ADC.
The court held that the process through which the leadership emerged did not meet the requirements for democratic elections under the Electoral Act. It then voided actions taken by that leadership, including the nomination of the party's candidates for 2027.
The suit was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East, who challenged how the Mark-led leadership came about.
What happens next
The ADC has rejected the judgment, calling it legally indefensible, and says it will appeal. The party says it has also filed an application for a stay of execution and has formally told INEC about both moves, urging the commission to hold off on any action that could affect the case.
Atiku has also rejected the ruling and vowed to appeal, insisting his presidential campaign continues.
For now, the practical effect for voters is limited: the names remain on INEC's list while the courts and the parties work through the appeal. How quickly INEC receives the certified copy, and what the appeal court decides, will determine whether the ADC ticket stands.
