INEC to meet next week over Atiku’s 2027 ticket after ADC judgment

INEC has said it will not take a position on the ADC leadership crisis until it obtains the certified true copy of a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the David Mark-led caretaker committee and Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate. The commission will meet next week to consider the matter and says it will obey any stay of execution if the Mark faction appeals the Thursday ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will not take a position on the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) until it obtains and studies the certified true copy of the Federal High Court judgment that nullified the David Mark-led leadership, Sunday PUNCH reports.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday in Abuja, also invalidated the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate.

INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission would first obtain the document before deciding its next step.

“We can’t take a position until we see tthe judgement ourselves. We have to get the certified true copy because we don’t take decisions or reports of what the court said based on reports because the reports could be wrong,” he said.

Haruna said the matter would be considered at the commission’s meeting next week, adding that INEC would obey any stay of execution if the Mark faction appeals.

Justice Peter Lifu nullified the caretaker committee in a suit filed by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, and also voided Rauf Aregbesola’s emergence as National Secretary.