Abuja* – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly rejected the African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s demand for the immediate resignation or sack of its Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, describing the call as a distraction and an assault on the commission’s constitutional independence.

The reaction came on Thursday, April 2, 2026, following a World Press Conference addressed by ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, in Abuja, where the party accused INEC of partisan bias and demanded the removal of Prof. Amupitan and all National Commissioners.

INEC’s position was contained in a statement signed by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman. The commission explained that its decision to remove the names of the David Mark-led ADC leadership from its portal was in direct obedience to a recent Court of Appeal judgment and a preservative order from the Federal High Court.

“The Chairman does not hold office at the pleasure of any political party or interest group. Any call for removal outside the established constitutional process is not only a distraction but a direct assault on the independence of the nation’s electoral umpire,” the statement said.

INEC stressed that the appointment, tenure, and removal of the Chairman and National Commissioners are strictly governed by Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). It noted that proceeding to monitor the congress and convention of the David Mark-led faction would have amounted to disobeying the court order, which restrained INEC from taking steps that could render pending matters nugatory.

The commission cited past experiences in Zamfara and Plateau States, where disobedience of court judgments led to the removal of elected officials by election tribunals. It further clarified that it only recognised David Mark’s executive on September 9, 2025 — seven days after the suit was filed — and was bound by the order to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

Section 287(2) of the Constitution, INEC added, mandates every person and authority in Nigeria to obey and enforce judgments of the Court of Appeal.

On allegations of bias and a hidden one-party agenda, INEC pointed out that under Prof. Amupitan’s leadership, it has expanded the democratic space by registering and recognising new parties, including the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and National Democratic Party (NDP), bringing the total number of active political parties to 22.

The commission also addressed concerns over the planned nationwide Voter Revalidation exercise, clarifying that the decision predates Prof. Amupitan’s appointment in October 2025. It described the exercise as a professional necessity to clean up the voters’ register, which contains data from 2011 to 2024, by addressing issues such as multiple registrations, transfers, and deceased persons.

“The revalidation is an administrative audit, not a fresh registration. It is not targeted at any region, party, or demographic,” INEC stated, adding that the process will be transparent, uniform across all local government areas and polling units, and will include digital options for ease of access.

INEC reassured the public that it remains focused on conducting credible off-cycle elections in Ekiti (June 2026) and Osun (August 2026), and will not allow itself to be drawn into internal party conflicts.

“The Commission understands that some decisions can be challenging and may not always align with individual party interests. However, the Commission is dedicated to fostering an electoral environment where transparency and fairness prevail,” the statement concluded.

The face-off between the ADC and INEC adds to the growing tension within the opposition party amid its leadership crisis.