Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, has explained that a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe concerning the leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, is pending before an Abuja Federal High Court.
Amupitan spoke on Friday in an interview on Arise Television.
He was speaking on the leadership crisis in the ADC, which led to the commission’s decision to delist former Senate President David Mark as the chairman of the party.
The INEC boss insisted that only the court can determine the matter.
“We have record of a letter written by ADC sometime ago, I think, last year, informing the commission that Nafiu Bala had resigned. Then the Nafiu also wrote and contended before the court that he did not resign, and as a matter of fact that his signature was forged.
“And that was why we were very careful when his lawyer was insisting that, given the fact that he did not resign, and by virtue of the provisions of the constitution of ADC, as Deputy National Vice Chairman, when all the other members of the EXCO resign, naturally he ought to be the national chairman of ADC.
“But looking at the fact that it’s a matter the court has to decide, we decided that we are not going to toe that part and then looking at status quo antebellum, giving the meaning as and the definition given to it by Supreme Court, that it means before hostility, when things were still peaceful and there was cordiality, until the controversy.
“So if you look at it backwards down, you look at it from the viewpoint of when was there a controversy? Controversy started when 29 July, 2025, there was a meeting of National Executive Council, NEC, which now ratified the appointment of David Mark group.
“So if you look at antebellum meaning that before that time, what was the position? Now, in this case, the plaintiff went to court on September 2, 2025, he filed motion ex-parte, motion on notice for injunction, and also filed further motions ex-parte on the 15th of December and motion on notice restraining us and even stopping them from parading themselves,” Amupitan said.
