By Franklin Adole
With just 67 days to Nigeria’s January 16, 2027 presidential election, the political fate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) remains uncertain as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) awaits the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment invalidating the party’s disputed leadership and its actions.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, disclosed on Monday in Abuja that the commission had yet to receive the authenticated judgment that nullified the Senator David Mark-led ADC leadership, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s candidate.
The commission also announced a major clean-up of the national voters’ register, removing 1,609,553 questionable records and identifying 54 electoral officials implicated in registration irregularities.
Responding to questions about the November 6 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Amupitan insisted that INEC would act only on authenticated judicial documents.
“On ADC/Atiku: as of today, we have not received the Certified True Copy of the court judgment and we don’t act based on what we see on social media,” he declared.
The judgment arose from a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led ADC leadership.
The court invalidated the leadership and its consequential actions, including the nomination of Atiku as presidential candidate and other candidates produced under the disputed executive.
However, the Mark faction has appealed the decision, with former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola seeking its reversal and a stay of execution.
INEC’s position leaves the electoral implications of the judgement unresolved pending receipt of the authenticated ruling and any subsequent appellate orders.
Meanwhile, Amupitan announced that a comprehensive audit of the voters’ register had resulted in the removal of more than 1.6 million invalid and deceased-voter records.
The exercise followed public complaints about suspicious entries discovered when INEC displayed its preliminary register between October 9 and 15.
Using its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), the commission uncovered multiple registrations, substituted photographs, and unusual registration patterns.
Amupitan disclosed that 54 INEC officials across 10 states had been identified for allegedly manipulating registration procedures, including exploiting special provisions intended for persons with disabilities.
He said disciplinary measures and possible prosecutions were being pursued.
“The Commission recognises that the detection of irregularities raises legitimate questions about how they arose. The response is evidence-led investigation, completed corrective action, and stronger preventive controls,” he said.
The chairman further disclosed that INEC was reviewing historical voter records dating from 2011 to 2023 to identify and remove verified duplications.
On Permanent Voter Cards, he appealed for patience among Nigerians registered during the third phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, explaining that production delays were linked to overseas printing.
He announced that PVC distribution would return to registration areas nationwide from December 1.
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