The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports that it removed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi from its portal following a court decision concerning the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Titiansloaded reports that the commission said it had not acted on the ruling because it was yet to receive an official copy of the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the explanation in an interview with Daily Trust on Friday.
Haruna was reacting to claims circulating on social media that the electoral body had already taken down the names of the two politicians from its portal.
He described the reports as unfounded, saying the commission could not implement a judgment it had not formally received.
“I don’t know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven’t received the judgement yet,” he said.
The INEC official noted that obtaining a Certified True Copy of a court judgment could take several days, adding that the commission had not yet convened to consider the ruling.
“Usually, it takes about a week for you to get a CTC of the tribunal,” Haruna said.
A review of INEC’s portal on Friday showed that Atiku and Amaechi’s names were still displayed, contrary to claims that they had been removed.
The controversy followed a ruling by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which sacked the David Mark-led ADC leadership and invalidated decisions taken by the disputed party executives.
The court also nullified the process through which Atiku emerged as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. The case was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East.
The ADC has rejected the judgment and expressed its intention to appeal the decision at a higher court.
