2027 Elections: INEC Will Obey Court’s Final Decision On Atiku’s Candidacy, Says Amupitan

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to comply with the final court decision on whether former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar can contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Thursday, November 12, during a dialogue on Nigeria’s 2027 elections at Chatham House in London.

Responding to a question about whether Atiku would be allowed to participate in the presidential election if he failed to overturn the Federal High Court judgment affecting the ADC leadership, Amupitan said the commission was obligated to implement court decisions.

He said INEC would abide by the outcome of the judicial process, particularly a decision of the Supreme Court, irrespective of the political consequences.

“If it travels through the courts and, as you said, he eventually fails, well, I’m obligated under Section 285 of the Constitution of Nigeria to obey every court order, especially if it is from the Supreme Court,” the INEC chairman said.

Amupitan acknowledged that implementing politically sensitive court decisions could expose the commission to public criticism, noting that INEC often becomes the target of complaints when it carries out judicial directives.

“But the danger is that whenever there’s such a decision, and it’s you who now has to implement it, you become the problem. The problem now is transferred to you, but that is the position of the law,” he added.

The statement comes amid a leadership crisis in the ADC following a November 5 judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu.

The court nullified the leadership of the party led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated decisions taken by the executive, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate.

The judgment followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership after the departure of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu.

However, the ADC has rejected the judgment and challenged it at the Court of Appeal, alongside an application seeking a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal.

The party has also urged INEC not to take any action capable of prejudicing the outcome of the pending appeal.

Atiku, who secured the ADC presidential ticket in May 2026, has maintained that the judgment will not stop his ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Meanwhile, Amupitan disclosed that INEC was facing more than 300 pending court cases as preparations for the general elections continued.

He expressed concern that prolonged pre-election disputes could disrupt the commission’s logistical and operational arrangements, particularly as procurement of sensitive election materials had commenced.

The INEC chairman said he had previously advocated that pre-election disputes should be resolved between six months and one year before elections to give the commission sufficient time to prepare.

He also recalled that when the ADC leadership dispute emerged in April, INEC had proposed that the matter be resolved within three weeks to prevent prolonged uncertainty.

Amupitan’s comments highlight the growing influence of pre-election litigation on preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the commission facing the responsibility of implementing judicial decisions while maintaining its electoral timetable.

The presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027.