The African Democratic Congress has again faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission for allegedly acting outside the law and taking sides in the party’s ongoing leadership dispute.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show.
PUNCH Online had reported that INEC, through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, derecognised Mark as ADC national chairman, National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, and others.
The commission said it hinged its decision on a court order which directed the commission to maintain the status quo pending the determination of a suit filed by a factional National Chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala, challenging the legality of Mark’s leadership of the party.
However, Abdullahi argued that Bala no longer has the legal standing to act on behalf of the party, maintaining that his tenure ended following his resignation and the dissolution of the executive committee he belonged to.
He said the party’s National Executive Committee, as the next highest organ after the convention, had already taken binding decisions regarding the leadership structure.
The ADC spokesman questioned INEC’s actions, alleging that the commission was recognising moves by Bala despite being aware of his resignation.
He also criticised the commission’s conduct in relation to a directive of the Court of Appeal to maintain the status quo.
The development follows INEC’s decision to remove the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC from its official portal.
INEC had also stated that it would not recognise Bala, who is seeking to be declared national chairman through the courts, and announced the suspension of recognition of all factions within the party pending the determination of a substantive suit before the Federal High Court.
Speaking on the issue, Abdullahi said, “As of July 17, he was no longer an official of the party, and INEC knew this. So as I was saying, he has no locus.
“It is a settled matter in court that the issue of leadership is wholly an internal affair of political parties, and the NEC is the next most senior organ of the party, next to the convention.
“The NEC said that the executive that he belonged to, even if he said he did not resign, the executive that he belonged to has been duly dissolved.
“So, on what basis is INEC recognising Bala’s action? Because INEC knew since August 12 that they received a notice of his resignation, he is no longer an official of the party.
“So, on what basis is he being recognised? So recognising Nafiu Bala’s action means that INEC is taking a side.
“What INEC has done effectively is to violate the directive of the appeal court, and that is criminal.
“If you are talking about contempt, that is what INEC has done. INEC, today, is behaving like a criminal organisation. And what the Court of Appeal said is to maintain status quo.”
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