03/04/2026
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (ADC)
3 APRIL 2026
YOU ARE NOT THE COURT: ADC FIRES BACK AT INEC CHAIRMAN, AMUPITAN
Says INEC Chair Acting in Contempt of Court.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected claims made by the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Friday morning, where he warned that proceeding with its congresses and convention could violate existing court orders. The party described the position of INEC as wilful distortion of the Court of Appeal’s directive to maintain the status quo, which amounts to contempt of the court.
ADC accused INEC of overstepping its supervisory role and attempting to halt lawful processes, insisting that internal disputes do not suspend democratic functions, while reaffirming its decision to proceed in full compliance with the law.
The full statement read:
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has carefully reviewed the recent interview granted by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, and finds it necessary to respond, in order to correct several legal and factual misrepresentations. While the Commission seeks to present its position as one anchored in law and neutrality, the substance of the Chairman’s own statements reveals a fundamental misapplication of both constitutional principles and judicial directives.
First, the Chairman’s repeated assertion that INEC is merely acting within the confines of a “multi-party constitutional order” is, with respect, a deflection from the central issue. The question before Nigerians is not whether Nigeria remains a multi-party state in theory, but whether the actions of INEC in practice are undermining the ability of opposition parties to freely organize and function. The ADC has not alleged the abolition of multi-party democracy in form; rather, it has raised concerns about actions that, in effect, weaken it. The Chairman’s reliance on the
