ADC demands sack of INEC chairman, accuses commission of bias — Mark

The embattled chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called for the immediate resignation or removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, alleging loss of confidence in his leadership.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Mark said INEC could no longer be trusted to conduct credible elections, accusing the commission of partisanship and undermining Nigeria’s democracy following its decision to withdraw recognition of the party’s leadership factions.

He said, “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.

“Let us also make it clear: we are proceeding with our party programmes because there is nothing under the law that makes INEC’s attendance a mandatory requirement. We have duly served INEC notice, and we will proceed accordingly.

“We also call on the international community to take note of INEC’s actions of April 1st and of the restraint we are exercising today. We urge them to recognise the clear threat to Nigeria’s democracy and stability and to hold accountable those who are undermining the integrity of the electoral process.”

His comments come after INEC on Wednesday moved to strike the names of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from its portal as National Chairman and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, respectively.

Speaking further, Mark insisted that the leadership of the party, which emerged from its July 29, 2025, NEC meeting, remains valid, adding that the party would continue with its planned congresses and convention.

Mark also warned that INEC would be held responsible for any fallout arising from its decisions, while urging Nigerians and the international community to take note of what he described as a growing threat to democracy.

His words, “In addition to witnessing this process that brought in the new leadership of the party, a formal report of these resolutions was subsequently communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On September 9th, 2025, INEC then uploaded the names of the relevant NWC members of the party, based on the NEC resolutions.

“One of the officials in the dissolved NWC was Nafiu Bala, who was one of the Deputy National Chairmen of the party. It is on record that Gombe resigned this position on 17th May, 2025. His resignation was also duly transmitted to INEC on the 12th of August, 2025. Regardless of his resignation, he decided to approach the courts on September 2nd, 2025, four clear months after his resignation, seeking to be recognised as the Chairman of the ADC.

“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 29th of July in a process monitored by INEC. INEC was also aware that Gombe had resigned his position before the said inauguration on the 29th of July.”

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