By current matters
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, says it is going ahead with its planned congresses and convention, despite the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, derecognizing its leadership.
The party,in a notice released on Friday by its spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the congress is expected to begin from April 7th to 14th, 2026.
“This is to notify all party members that, despite INEC’s illegal actions, the African Democratic Congress will continue with its congresses as scheduled, having duly notified INEC by our letters dated 27th February 2026 and 28th March 2026.
“Screening of Aspirants—7th April 2026; Appeals on Screening Exercise—8th April 2026; Polling Unit, Ward, and Local Government Congresses – 9th April 2026; Appeals on the Congresses-10th April 2026; State Congresses-11th April 2026; Appeals on the State Congresses-12th April 2026 and Convention-14th2026; April 2026,” the notice reads.
On Wednesday,INEC delisted the party’s leadership under former Senate President David Mark.
The party has condemned the decision, calling for the resignation of the INEC chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan.
However, Amupitan has warned the ADC against going ahead with its planned congresses and convention saying the commission’s decision was based on a pending court case.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Amupitan said going ahead with the congress is in contravention of the court.
“If they are going ahead with their congress, with their convention, it’s left for them to look at it, whether it is in contravention of the court. INEC didn’t just take a decision. We didn’t just wake up one day and took this decision. There was something that led to it. There was an order of court,” he said.
“Don’t do anything. Don’t take any step that will render any proceeding before the court nugatory. So, if already they are asking that don’t do any congress, don’t do any convention, it is a relief that is being claimed. And especially they filed a motion for that purpose, that motion has not been determined.”
The INEC Chairman cautioned that defying court orders could invalidate election results, with the candidate with the second-highest votes ultimately being declared winner.
“Let me tell you what happened in Zamfara. It happened in the past. We don’t want to conduct an election without this early warning, and at the end of the day, after you have won, the court again will come and declare the election invalid. And the implication is that the person with the second highest number of vote will be declared the winner.
“It happened in Plateau State during the last election, failure to obey the court order has consequences. They are at liberty to do whatever they want to do, but INEC do not want to go into this situation again,” he added.
