The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received a petition submitted by the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday.
Professor Abdullahi Zuru, the INEC National Commissioner, received the appeal from the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola.
The content of the petition is yet unclear.
However, the ADC has consistently demanded that Professor Joash Amupitan, the INEC Chairperson, be removed on the grounds that he intentionally misinterpreted a Court of Appeal judgement suspending the party’s recognition.
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According to reports, the ADC marched peacefully from Maitama Junction to the INEC offices in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the leadership of Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Peter Obi.
In the 2023 election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Labour Party (LP) all ran for president, but President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate at the time, beat them.
The party’s factional National Chairman David Mark, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, serving senator Aminu Tambuwal, Rotimi Amaechi, and former senator Dino Melaye are among those in attendance at the demonstration.
The protesters carried placards and banners with inscriptions that read: “Tinubu, let our Democracy breathe”, “Falle daya ce, one term president” and “I stand with ADC, I stand with Democracy” among others.
The opposition party had accused the electoral body of siding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to block its chances of fielding candidates in 2027.
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Background
Last week, INEC halted the ADC’s recognition in accordance with the Court of Appeal’s decision, which ordered all parties involved in the Federal High Court lawsuit, including INEC, to preserve the status quo ante bellum until the opposition party’s leadership problem was resolved.
Following Ralph Nwosu’s departure, Mr. Bala contested Mr. Mark’s appointment as the party’s national chairman.
He claimed that, in accordance with the party’s constitution, he (Bala) should take over as leader following Mr. Nwosu’s resignation. The Federal High Court is still considering this matter.
Prior to the Federal High Court’s ruling, Mr. Mark’s group filed an interlocutory appeal, which the Court of Appeal rejected.
In addition to dismissing the appeal, the appellate court ordered all parties to keep things as they were until the lower court made a decision regarding the substantive suit.
INEC complied with the ruling by ceasing to deal with any of the factions until the Federal High Court’s decision was made.
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“The court also ordered that parties should maintain status quo ante bellum and should not do anything that will foist a fait accompli on the trial court or render the proceedings nugatory,” INEC Chairperson, Joash Amupitan, a professor, explained in an interview with Arise TV.
The Mark-led faction, however, disagreed with the electoral commission and accused it of deliberately misinterpreting the ruling. Mr. Amupitan and the other national commissioners of the election board were asked to quit.
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