…says I’m not party to plan to make Nigeria one party state.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has denied allegations that the Commission is colluding with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. He also clarified that the removal of the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) does not amount to taking sides in the party’s internal crisis.
Speaking as a guest on The Morning Show on Arise News on Friday, Amupitan explained that the Commission is merely complying with a court order restraining parties from proceeding with congresses and the national convention of the ADC, pending the resolution of the dispute in court.
He warned that disobedience of court orders by any party or individual has consequences. The INEC chairman further stated that the widely cited figure of 93 million registered voters in Nigeria is inaccurate based on recent findings by the Commission. “Let me state it very clearly, I am not a party to any plan to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
By the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the country operates a multi-party system, as recognised by the Constitution and the Electoral Act,” he said. He cited the recent Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, where about 10 political parties participated, as evidence that Nigeria remains a multi-party democracy. He noted that while the APC won five area councils and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won one, other parties, including the Zenith Labour Party, also participated actively.
Amupitan identified internal party leadership crises as a major challenge to Nigeria’s democracy, stressing that unresolved disputes could destabilise the political system. Providing context on the ADC crisis, he explained that the Court of Appeal directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, the situation before the dispute, pending the determination of the case at the Federal High Court.
According to him, conflicting claims to the party’s leadership between a faction led by Senator David Mark and another led by Nafiu Bala Gombe necessitated judicial intervention. “The court has directed that the matter be heard expeditiously. Until the case is determined, no party should take any action that could affect the subject of litigation,” he said.
He disclosed that INEC received communication from the David Mark faction indicating plans to proceed with congresses and conventions, but noted that such action could violate the subsisting court order. “If INEC monitors such activities, it would amount to taking steps that could prejudice the outcome of the case.
We cannot do that,” he stated. Amupitan emphasised that INEC, being a party to the suit, must adhere strictly to judicial directives to avoid creating a situation of fait accompli that could render court proceedings ineffective. He also noted that the validity of the alleged resignation of Nafiu Bala Gombe as ADC Vice Chairman remains a subject of litigation, with claims and counterclaims, including allegations of forgery, awaiting judicial determination.
Drawing from past experiences in states such as Zamfara and Plateau, the INEC chairman warned that failure to comply with court orders could invalidate electoral processes and outcomes. “Failure to obey court orders has consequences. We do not want to find ourselves in a situation where elections are conducted and later nullified by the courts,” he said.
On voter registration, Amupitan revealed that the Commission is planning a phased revalidation of the voters’ register validity of the alleged resignation of Nafiu Bala Gombe as ADC Vice Chairman remains a subject of litigation, with claims and counterclaims, including allegations of forgery, awaiting judicial determination.
Drawing from past experiences in states such as Zamfara and Plateau, the INEC chairman warned that failure to comply with court orders could invalidate electoral processes and outcomes. “Failure to obey court orders has consequences. We do not want to find ourselves in a situation where elections are conducted and later nullified by the courts,” he said.
On voter registration, Amupitan revealed that the Commission is planning a phased revalidation of the voters’ register to address inconsistencies, including multiple registrations and the presence of deceased persons on the register. “In our records, we have about 93 million registered voters, but that figure is not entirely accurate.
The revalidation exercise will help us clean up the register and improve the credibility of our elections,” he said. He explained that the exercise, which had been conceived before his appointment, was delayed due to funding constraints but has now been captured in the Commission’s current budget. According to him, the process will begin with stakeholder engagement and the development of a framework before moving to field operations and full implementation.
