ADC Crisis: INEC Breaks Silence on Faction Derecognition Amid Removal Calls

INEC has defended its decision to withdraw recognition from both factions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stating it acted on a Court of Appeal order to maintain the status quo ante bellum. In a statement by chief press secretary Adedayo Oketola, the commission said disobeying the court could lead to situations like Zamfara and Plateau, where elected officials were removed by tribunals. The clarification follows accusations of partisanship and calls for the INEC chairman’s removal. INEC also dismissed concerns over a planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise, describing it as an administrative audit.

Key Points:

INEC’s strict adherence to court orders signals zero tolerance for party indiscipline.
Political actors may lose the ability to force favourable commission rulings through litigation.
The ADC is effectively paralysed until the federal high court resolves the dispute.
Calls for INEC chairman’s removal face constitutional barriers, reducing political pressure.
Voter revalidation could clean up Nigeria’s register but may face logistical challenges.

Watch for the federal high court’s ruling on ADC leadership and how the voter revalidation exercise unfolds ahead of Ekiti and Osun elections.

Sources: The Cable