The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports on social media claiming it removed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi from its online candidate portal.
The purported removals followed a Thursday Federal High Court judgment that nullified their nomination by the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking to *Weekend Trust* on Friday, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), said the commission had yet to receive a copy of the judgment and had not met to discuss the matter.
Online claims had surfaced suggesting INEC swiftly implemented the court order. However, a verification check by our reporter on Friday confirmed that the names of the candidates remain active on the portal.
Haruna questioned the origin of the rumors, stating, “I don’t know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven’t received the judgment yet.”
He explained that administrative delays naturally accompany court rulings, noting that obtaining a Certified True Copy (CTC) typically takes about a week. Until an official document is reviewed, Haruna stressed that the commission cannot act.
The controversy stems from Justice Peter Lifu’s Thursday ruling in Abuja, which dissolved the ADC caretaker committee led by former Senate President David Mark. The court also invalidated all actions taken by the faction, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku.
The suit was brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), who argued that the Mark-led leadership violated provisions of the Electoral Act.
The ADC has since dismissed the ruling as legally indefensible and announced plans to challenge the decision at the appellate court.
