Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, of undermining opposition parties, alleging that the electoral body is taking actions capable of deepening the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Atiku made the allegation in a statement issued on Monday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in response to claims by Nafiu Gombe, who identifies himself as the National Chairman of the ADC, that he had successfully uploaded the names of the party’s candidates to INEC’s portal.
The former vice president argued that the development, if true, raises questions about INEC’s neutrality and adherence to its own guidelines ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Atiku, the uploading of candidates’ names to the commission’s portal is a critical stage in the electoral process and can only be carried out through access codes issued by INEC to recognised political party officials.
He expressed concern that Gombe was allegedly granted access despite the commission’s previous recognition of the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.
“On July 11, 2026, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who parades himself as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), issued a statement that he has succeeded in uploading the names of his candidates on the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” the statement said.
Atiku maintained that granting such access to a rival claimant to the party leadership amounted to a contradiction of both the law and INEC’s own position on the ADC leadership dispute.
He accused the commission of acting in a manner that could trigger confusion within the opposition party and potentially undermine confidence in the electoral process.
The former vice president further alleged that INEC had previously taken actions that favoured one faction over another in the ADC crisis, describing the latest development as evidence of bias.
According to him, the commission’s conduct has reinforced concerns that opposition parties are being subjected to undue interference.
Atiku argued that only candidates emerging from processes conducted by the leadership recognised by INEC and backed by the law can be regarded as valid candidates of the party.
He cited provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, which require political parties to conduct primaries and submit duly nominated candidates to the electoral commission.
The former vice president insisted that any candidate list submitted outside the framework of the recognised party leadership would lack legal validity.
“The only submitted candidates known to the law are those of David Mark. Any parallel submission such as Nafiu Bala Gombe’s is null and void,” he stated.
Atiku also called on the electoral body to avoid actions capable of aggravating disputes within political parties, warning that such actions could undermine democratic processes ahead of the next general election.
He urged the commission to remain impartial and focus on its constitutional responsibility as an independent electoral umpire.
The former vice president further alleged that the actions attributed to INEC were part of a broader effort to weaken opposition parties, though he did not provide evidence to support the claim.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued any official response to the allegations.
The ADC has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership dispute, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s national leadership, a situation that has generated legal and political battles in recent months.