The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate resignation of the Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, accusing the electoral body of undermining democracy and interfering in political parties’ internal affairs.
The ADC made the demand on Thursday at a world press conference addressed in Abuja by its National Chairman, David Mark.
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Mr Mark was flanked by former presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, all of whom defected from their political parties to join a coalition of opposition parties under the ADC.
Also present at the press conference were former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung; former senator Dino Melaye and the Abia South senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe.
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Mr Mark expressed concerns over what he described as a shrinking democratic space in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He alleged that INEC’s recent decision to freeze recognition of the ADC leadership has raised serious questions about the commission’s neutrality and independence.
He said the INEC Chairperson, Mr Amupitan, can no longer be trusted, even as he accused the commission of deliberate misinterpretation of an order of the Court of Appeal to de-recognise the party.
“We demand the immediate resignation or sack of the INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan, and all the National Commissioners. We no longer have confidence in them. We are convinced that they are incapable of conducting any credible election,” he said.
Mr Mark, a former Senate president, also said the party would continue its activities despite INEC’s suspension of the recognition of its leadership. He maintained that no law makes INEC’s attendance a mandatory requirement for the activities to be held.
Background
INEC had suspended the recognition of the ADC, in compliance with a Court of Appeal ruling that directed parties, including the electoral body, to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the leadership crisis suit at the Federal High Court.
A former vice-national chairperson of the party, Nafiu Bala, had challenged Mr Mark’s emergence as the party’s national chairman at the Federal High Court following the resignation of Ralph Nwosu from the position last year
Mr Bala, a former national vice chairman of the party, sought to be declared the party’s national chairman in line with the party’s constitution. The case is still pending.
Meanwhile, Mr Mark’s camp filed an interlocutory appeal ahead of the Federal High Court judgment, but was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
In dismissing the appeal, the appellate court also asked all parties to maintain the status quo until the lower court ruled on the substantive suit.
In compliance with this court order, INEC said on Wednesday that it will not deal with any of the two factions of the party until the case at the Federal High Court is determined.
But Mr Mark said that all consultations with its counsel revealed that there is no legal interpretation or precedent that warrants INEC to de-recognise the party in the face of an order to maintain the status quo.
He said INEC should’ve approached the Court of Appeal for judicial interpretation if it was confused about it.
“While posturing to be neutral, its actions confirm that it has become irredeemably partisan, working, as it were, towards a preconceived agenda. With its action, this INEC has left no one in doubt that it has chosen the path of dishonour and has become complicit in undermining Nigeria’s democracy. It therefore can no longer be trusted,” he said
Mr Mark also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using Mr Bala to destabilise the party, describing him as a willing tool in the hands of the ruling party.
He said the ruling party is determined to cling to power by all means, even if it means throwing the country into an avoidable crisis.
Takeover of ADC
Mr Mark also narrated how the coalition of politicians working to challenge President Tinubu in 2027 decided to use the ADC as their platform.
He said the coalition did its due diligence, fulfilled all the party’s constitutional requirements, as well as all wider requirements under the laws that guide the management and operation of political parties.
According to him, the coalition took over the ADC at the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on 29 July 2025, at which the previous National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved and replaced by a caretaker leadership.
“One of the conclusions of that NEC meeting was the dissolution of the National Working Committee of the party, and the ratification of a caretaker committee to take over the affairs of the party, with my humble self, David Mark, as the national chairman; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the national secretary; as well as others who have since been serving as officers of the party,” he said.
He said the process was conducted in line with constitutional provisions and monitored by INEC officials, adding that the changes were later acknowledged by the commission and reflected on its website on 9 September 2025.
Before the NEC meeting, Mr Mark explained that the previous national executives of the party, led by Ralph Nwosu, had resigned. One of those who resigned, according to him, was Mr Bala, a former national vice chairman of the party.
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He said Mr Bala resigned on 17 May, 2025 and that his resignation was transmitted to INEC on 12 August, 2025.
“Regardless of his resignation, he decided to approach the courts on 2 September, 2025, four clear months after his resignation, seeking to be recognised as the chairman of the ADC,” Mr Mark said.
“What this means is that by the 2nd of September, when he approached the courts, INEC was already aware that Secretary Aregbesola and I had been inaugurated on the 29 of July in a process monitored by INEC. INEC was also aware that Gombe (Bala) had resigned his position before the said inauguration on the 29 of July.”
The ADC national chairman said the party was surprised by INEC’s withdrawal of recognition, and wondered why INEC considered Mr Bala a factional head of the party, even though his resignation had been communicated to the electoral commission.
“By purporting to recognise Nafiu Bala as a faction, INEC seems to have conveniently forgotten that this individual had resigned his position, to the knowledge of INEC itself,” Mr Mark said.
