The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, has said the commission will remove the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, from the presidential election ballot if he fails to overturn the court judgment nullifying David Mark’s leadership of the opposition party.
Amupitan disclosed this during a viral interview at Chatham House in London.
When asked whether Atiku would participate in the 2027 presidential election if he failed to overturn the court judgment against him, Amupitan responded:
“If he fails, I’m obligated to obey every court order, especially if it’s from the Supreme Court.
“The danger is that whether there is such a decision and it is up to you to implement, you become the problem. The problem is transferred to you, but that is the position of the law.”
He lamented that the commission was facing more than 300 court cases barely 66 days before the 2027 general election.
“Over 300 court cases hanging on the neck of INEC, and the election is just about 66 days away.”
Recall that a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 5, 2026, nullified David Mark’s leadership of the ADC, under which Atiku emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.
The judgment had cast doubt on Atiku’s participation in the forthcoming January 16 presidential election.
However, the ADC leadership under David Mark has vowed to pursue the matter to ensure that Atiku remains on the ballot in the 2027 election.