2027 presidency: Why we are yet to remove Atiku, Amaechi’s names from candidates’ list – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained why the names of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Chibuike Amaechi, remain on its portal as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidates for the 2027 presidential election.

The explanation follows a judgement by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC faction led by David Mark and the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.

DAILY POST reported that Justice Peter Odo Lifu, who presided over the case, ruled that the process through which Mark emerged as the ADC National Chairman was unlawful.

The court also invalidated the emergence of Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary and voided the primary election that produced Atiku as the ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate.

The ruling further affected other ADC candidates seeking elective positions in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Lifu also directed INEC not to recognise decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.

However, speaking during a press briefing at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, said the commission had yet to receive the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the judgement.

Amupitan explained that INEC could not act on information circulating on social media without obtaining the court’s official ruling.

He said, “We have not received the Certified True Copy of the ruling.”

The INEC chairman further stated, “We do not carry out action based on what we see on social media.”