2027: INEC Dismisses Reports Of Removing Atiku, Amaechi’s Names From Candidates’ Portal

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed reports that it removed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, from its candidates’ portal following Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment nullifying their nomination by the African Democratic Congress.

The clarification was made by the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, in a telephone interview on Friday, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE CLARIFICATION

Haruna questioned the source of the reports, insisting that the commission had not received the court judgment.

“I don’t know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven’t received the judgment yet,” he said.

He explained that obtaining a Certified True Copy of a court judgment takes time, adding that the commission could not be expected to act on a judgment it had not officially received.

“Usually, it takes about a week for you to get a CTC of the tribunal,” Haruna said.

A check on the commission’s portal by reporters on Friday showed that Atiku and Amaechi were still listed as the ADC’s presidential candidate and running mate for the 2027 general election.

THE LEGAL CONTEXT

The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the process that produced the party’s candidates for the 2027 elections.

The ADC has rejected the judgment and announced it will appeal the decision. The party has also filed an application for a stay of execution pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

WHY IT MATTERS

INEC’s position is legally sound. A court judgment does not take effect until the commission receives the Certified True Copy and has the opportunity to review it.

The commission cannot act on a judgment it has not seen.But the confusion surrounding the portal is a sign of the uncertainty that has engulfed the ADC since the judgment.

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Atiku and Amaechi are still listed. The party is still fighting. And the legal battle is far from over.

For now, the portal remains unchanged. The judgment is pending. And the 2027 election continues to be shaped by the courts. ValidViewNetwork reports.