The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strongly refuted claims circulating across digital platforms suggesting it deleted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi from its database following a federal court ruling nullifying the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership.
Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the national commissioner and chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), clarified that the electoral body is yet to obtain a formal copy of the ruling or deliberate on the development.
Speaking during a telephone conversation on Friday, Haruna addressed rumors claiming the commission immediately enforced the judicial pronouncement by omitting the politicians from its official portal.
Independent checks conducted on the commission's platform on Friday confirmed that the records remain active, directly contradicting the unverified online assertions.
What did INEC say about the court ruling?
Addressing the claims, Haruna questioned the origin of the narrative and maintained that administrative action cannot precede official documentation.
"I don't know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven't received the judgement yet," Haruna stated.
He noted that securing a Certified True Copy (CTC) requires a standard administrative window, making immediate enforcement practically impossible.
"Usually, it takes about a week for you to get a CTC of the tribunal," he added, emphasizing that the electoral umpire operates strictly on official legal documentation.
Background on the Federal High Court ruling
The controversy trails a decision delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which voided the leadership of the ADC under former Senate President David Mark.
The court verdict equally invalidated subsequent activities undertaken by the disputed leadership, notably the processes that produced Atiku as the party's standard-bearer for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Proceedings before the court originated from a legal challenge filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman for the North-East, who contested the legitimacy of the Mark-led executive.
Justice Lifu ruled that the emergence of the leadership structure failed to comply with mandatory democratic standards stipulated in the Electoral Act.
Following the verdict, the ADC dismissed the legal outcome as legally unsustainable and announced plans to exhaust legal remedies by appealing the decision.