In a recent briefing at its headquarters in Abuja, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) explained why former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Chibuike Amaechi, remain listed on the commission’s portal as candidates for the 2027 presidential election under the banner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The explanation follows a judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja that nullified the leadership of the ADC faction headed by David Mark. Justice Peter Odo Lifu ruled that the process through which Mark was elected National Chairman was unlawful, and he also invalidated the emergence of Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary. The court further voided the primary election that produced Atiku as the ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate.
Justice Lifu’s ruling also affected other ADC candidates seeking elective positions in the 2027 general elections, and he directed INEC not to recognise decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on 27 July 2025.
Speaking at the press briefing, INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan said the commission had not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s judgment. “We have not received the Certified True Copy of the ruling,” he told reporters, adding that the commission could not act on information circulating on social media.
“We do not carry out action based on what we see on social media,” Prof Amupitan said.
Until the official court ruling is received and verified, INEC will maintain the current listings and will not remove Atiku and Amaechi’s names from its candidate database. The commission stressed that it will not act on unverified information and will wait for the formal, certified documentation before making any changes.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
