On Friday in Abuja, the African Democratic Congress criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission over its handling of a Court of Appeal directive, saying the commission misunderstood the order and wrongly applied it to the party’s internal activities.
The reaction was contained in a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, following the commission’s decision to remove the names of some party leaders from its records. The electoral body had earlier said its action was based on a court directive asking parties to maintain the status quo while a case remains before the court.
The party disagreed with that position, stating that the directive does not stop it from carrying out its normal activities, including congresses and its planned national convention. It argued that no court ruling has specifically barred it from proceeding with such programmes.
The dispute comes after the commission announced the removal of the leadership linked to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official records. This action was said to be based on the need to comply with ongoing legal proceedings.
Speaking earlier, the commission’s chairman, Joash Amupitan, warned that any political party activity carried out against court directives may not be recognised and could lead to legal consequences.
However, the party maintained that the commission went beyond its role by interpreting the court order in a way that affects its operations. It said internal disagreements within a political party do not stop it from functioning and that such issues are usually resolved through legal processes without halting activities.
The party also argued that the role of the electoral body is limited to monitoring political parties after proper notification and not deciding whether their activities are valid. It insisted that its programmes are being conducted in line with its constitution and the Electoral Act.
Despite the warning from the commission, the party said it would continue with its congresses and convention as planned, maintaining that its actions are lawful and do not conflict with any court ruling.