INEC will obey courtroom ruling on Atiku’s 2027 eligibility – Amupitan

Crime

By Linda Ikeji
12 November 2026, 10:07 pm

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, says the fee will abide by the courtroom’s determination on whether or not former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar can contest the 2027 presidential election.

Amupitan spoke on Thursday, November 12, at Chatham House in London. He was requested whether or not Atiku might stand because the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate if a courtroom ruling nullifying the management of the celebration faction led by former Senate President David Mark remained in power.

“If 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,” he mentioned. The Federal High Court ruling has raised questions concerning the validity of Atiku’s nomination because the ADC’s presidential candidate. The celebration has mentioned it should problem the judgment on the Court of Appeal.

Amupitan mentioned INEC had pressed for an accelerated listening to when the management dispute arose in April, arguing that an early determination would give the fee time to plan for the elections. “When it happened in April, the position of the commission was that matter should be resolved within three weeks,” he mentioned.

He mentioned INEC had adopted a courtroom directive to droop motion and await the result of the case, which later went to enchantment. He additionally mentioned the fee had greater than 300 circumstances pending in opposition to it. Recalling the stress litigation can placed on election preparations, he referred to some extent when an election was about 66 days away.

“Some of those issues we have with court cases, over 300 cases hanging on the neck of INEC, and elections is just about 66 days away,” he mentioned.

Amupitan mentioned INEC had already begun procuring delicate election supplies for the 2027 polls. He known as for reforms to make sure pre-election disputes are resolved six months to a 12 months earlier than voting so the fee has sufficient time to finalise its logistics.

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