2027: INEC may drop Atiku’s candidacy if he fails to overturn Court Judgment — Amupitan

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the commission will comply with a court order affecting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidacy if the ruling is not overturned.

Atiku, who served as Nigeria’s Vice-President from 1999 to 2007, is seeking to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

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Amupitan made the remarks on Thursday at Chatham House in London while responding to a question about Atiku’s political future following a Federal High Court judgment affecting the leadership of the ADC.

He explained that the court had directed INEC to remove the party’s leadership from its records, adding that the commission was constitutionally bound to comply with valid court orders.

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On Atiku’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election, Amupitan maintained that the legal dispute surrounding the ADC’s leadership must be resolved to remove the uncertainty surrounding the party’s candidate.

“If he eventually fails, well, I’m obligated under Section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court,” he said.

The INEC chairman also expressed concern over the volume of litigation involving the commission, revealing that more than 300 cases were pending in court as preparations for the 2027 general elections continued.

“Some of those issues we have with court cases, over 300 cases hanging on the neck of INEC, and election is just about 66 days away,” he said.

Amupitan ruled out taking action based solely on reports circulating on social media, stressing that the commission must obtain and examine the Certified True Copy (CTC) of a judgment before determining the appropriate course of action.

“As of today, I have not received a certified true copy of the judgment of the Federal High Court because we don’t just act on the basis of what is on social media,” he said.

The controversy surrounding Atiku’s candidacy follows a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 5, which nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and decisions taken under it.

The suit was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the process through which Mark emerged as the party’s national chairman following the resignation of the previous leadership in July 2025.

The ruling has raised questions about the status of decisions taken by the affected leadership, including the process associated with Atiku’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate.

However, the ADC has indicated that it will challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal. The party’s lawyer, Kalu Kalu, has argued that the ruling did not expressly invalidate Atiku’s candidacy.
Atiku has also vowed to remain in the presidential race despite the court ruling, leaving the matter subject to further legal proceedings and clarification by the relevant authorities.

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