RismadarVoice Reporters
November 7, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it has not received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The commission also dismissed reports that it had removed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, from its online list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the clarification during an interview with journalists on Friday.
Haruna explained that the commission had neither reviewed the judgment nor taken any decision concerning its implementation because the official court document had not been received.
He noted that obtaining a certified copy of a judgment could take several days, adding that the commission would follow the appropriate legal procedures.
The clarification followed Thursday’s ruling by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which invalidated the leadership of the ADC headed by former Senate President David Mark.
The court also nullified decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The judgment arose from a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led executive.
Gombe argued that the leadership arrangement violated the party’s constitution and relevant electoral provisions.
Justice Lifu upheld the challenge, declaring the disputed leadership and its decisions invalid.
However, the ADC has rejected the judgment and filed an appeal challenging the ruling.
The party also submitted an application seeking a stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal.
In a letter to INEC, the party’s lawyers notified the commission of the legal proceedings and urged it to refrain from taking consequential action while the matter remained before the courts.
The application for a stay of execution had not been determined as of the party’s latest announcement.
Meanwhile, INEC maintained that reports claiming it had already removed Atiku and Amaechi from its portal were inaccurate.
The commission’s clarification leaves the administrative implications of the judgment unresolved while the party pursues its legal challenge.
Further developments will depend on the judicial proceedings and INEC’s consideration of the officially certified judgment.
