The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the commission will abide by the final judgement of the courts regarding former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Amupitan made this known on Thursday while speaking at Chatham House in London, where he was asked whether Atiku would remain on the ballot if he fails to overturn a recent Federal High Court judgement nullifying the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), under which the former vice-president emerged as a presidential candidate.
Responding, the INEC chairman stressed that the commission was constitutionally bound to obey court orders, particularly decisions delivered by the Supreme Court.
“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,” Amupitan stated.
He emphasised that INEC would not disregard judicial pronouncements, regardless of their political implications.
However, the electoral chief expressed concern over the growing number of pre-election litigations, warning that the cases could disrupt the commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
According to him, INEC is currently dealing with more than 300 pending court cases, despite the elections being approximately 66 days away.
“Some of those issues we have with court cases—over 300 cases hanging on the neck of INEC, and elections are just about 66 days away,” he lamented.
Amupitan disclosed that the commission had already commenced the procurement of sensitive election materials, noting that last-minute court judgements could create serious logistical challenges for the electoral body.
He explained that when the ADC leadership dispute emerged in April, INEC had advocated an accelerated hearing to ensure the matter was resolved within three weeks, thereby giving the commission sufficient time to conclude its preparations.
However, the legal dispute dragged on and has now proceeded to the Court of Appeal following the ADC’s decision to challenge the Federal High Court’s ruling.
To address the recurring challenges associated with pre-election litigations, Amupitan called for electoral reforms that would compel political disputes to be resolved at least six months to one year before election day.
He further warned that the electoral commission often bears the brunt of public criticism whenever it is required to implement controversial court decisions shortly before an election.
“The danger is that whenever there is such a decision, and it’s up to you to now implement it, you become the problem. The problem now is transferred unto you,” he said.
The INEC chairman maintained that the commission would continue to respect the rule of law while urging stakeholders to support reforms that would prevent prolonged legal disputes from undermining the credibility and smooth conduct of future elections.
