The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has affirmed that the electoral body will strictly abide by court rulings concerning the eligibility of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to run in the 2027 presidential election.

Amupitan stated this on Thursday during an engagement at Chatham House in London, while responding to a question on whether Abubakar would remain on the ballot if he fails to overturn a court judgment nullifying the leadership of his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Addressing the audience, the INEC boss emphasized that the commission is constitutionally bound to enforce court orders, especially decisions handed down by the Supreme Court, regardless of their political fallout.

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“The danger is that whenever there is such a decision, and it is you to now implement, you become the problem,” Amupitan noted, adding that the commission frequently faces public backlash simply for carrying out its constitutional duty.

Beyond the ADC leadership crisis, Amupitan raised alarm over the sheer volume of litigation facing the commission ahead of the polls. He revealed that INEC currently has more than 300 pending court cases hanging over it, warning that drawn-out legal disputes threaten to disrupt logistical planning and the procurement of sensitive election materials.

To safeguard future electoral cycles, the INEC chairman renewed his call for legal reforms that would compel pre-election disputes to be concluded at least six months to one year before general elections. According to him, establishing a strict cut-off window would give the commission the certainty and time needed to properly organise the polls.

Meanwhile, the ADC has announced plans to head to the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court ruling that invalidated the David Mark-led leadership of the party, a judgment that directly threatens the validity of Abubakar’s emergence as its 2027 presidential flagbearer.