“We Haven’t Received The Judgment Yet” — INEC Denies Removing Atiku, Amaechi From 2027 Candidates’ Portal Following ADC Court Ruling

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports circulating on social media that it removed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, from its list of candidates for the 2027 presidential election following the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The Commission clarified that it had neither received a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja nor held any meeting to deliberate on its implications for the party and its candidates.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the clarification during a telephone interview on Friday, November 6, 2026, following widespread claims that the electoral body had implemented the judgment by deleting the names of Atiku and Amaechi from its candidates’ portal.

The clarification came barely 24 hours after the Federal High Court nullified the David Mark-led National Working Committee of the ADC and invalidated decisions taken under its leadership, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Haruna said the Commission was surprised by the reports circulating online, insisting that no official decision had been taken concerning the continued listing of Atiku and Amaechi.

“I don’t know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven’t received the judgment yet,” he said.

He explained that the electoral body could not be expected to take a formal position on a court judgment it had not officially received and considered.

According to him, obtaining a Certified True Copy of a judgment usually requires some time, particularly where the decision has only recently been delivered.

“Usually, it takes about a week for you to get a CTC of the tribunal,” Haruna stated.

He further disclosed that the Commission had not convened a meeting to discuss the judgment or determine the appropriate administrative steps arising from it.

The INEC official maintained that the Commission’s actions would be guided by the applicable judicial process rather than unverified statements circulating on social media.

A check of INEC’s candidates’ portal on Friday showed that Atiku and Amaechi remained listed as the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the ADC, contrary to claims that their names had already been removed.

The Commission’s previously published list of presidential candidates also identified Atiku as the ADC presidential candidate and Amaechi as his running mate.

The clarification is important because Justice Lifu’s judgment has generated uncertainty over the status of the ADC leadership and the validity of nominations made under the disputed executive.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Justice Lifu declared the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC unlawful and invalidated actions taken by the committee on behalf of the party.

The judgment followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC for the North-East, who challenged the procedure through which Mark and other members of the party’s leadership assumed office.

Gombe maintained that the emergence of the caretaker committee did not comply with the party’s constitution and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

He consequently asked the court to nullify decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.

In its judgment, the Federal High Court held that the process through which the Mark-led leadership emerged failed to satisfy the applicable legal requirements.

The court consequently nullified the leadership arrangement and decisions taken under its authority, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s flag bearer.

The decision also affected the nominations of other candidates presented by the ADC to INEC under the disputed leadership.

The judgment immediately generated political reactions, particularly because of its potential implications for the participation of Atiku and other ADC candidates in the approaching elections.

The ADC rejected the ruling, describing it as legally indefensible and maintaining that the decision would be challenged through the appropriate appellate process.

Atiku also rejected the judgment and insisted that he would continue his presidential campaign despite the legal setback.

The party subsequently filed a notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution, seeking to challenge the validity and consequences of the Federal High Court’s decision.

The development has raised questions about how INEC will respond to the judgment while the legal challenge continues.

However, Haruna’s clarification establishes that, as of Friday, November 6, the Commission had not received the judgment for official consideration and had not taken the decision attributed to it on social media.

The fact that Atiku and Amaechi remained on the portal did not, by itself, amount to a determination by INEC that the Federal High Court judgment was invalid or without legal consequences.

Rather, the Commission maintained that it had not yet received and deliberated on the court’s decision.

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