Nigeria’s electoral umpire is warning of potential legal consequences as the African Democratic Congress moves ahead with plans to hold its congresses and national convention despite unresolved court issues.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, says the commission cannot supervise the exercise under current circumstances, citing an existing court order that affects the party’s leadership dispute and ongoing legal proceedings.

Speaking in an interview on Friday in Abuja, Amupitan explained that the commission’s position is not arbitrary but anchored on judicial directives that caution against actions capable of undermining cases already before the courts.

According to him, the dispute over the party’s leadership linked to figures such as Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola remains subject to litigation, and any attempt to proceed with congresses could complicate or invalidate those proceedings.

INEC warned that moving forward without resolving the legal questions could have far-reaching implications, especially for candidates that may emerge from such a process, as their legitimacy could later be challenged.

Amupitan pointed to past electoral experiences, including cases in Zamfara and Plateau states, where failure to comply with court orders led to dramatic reversals of election outcomes, sometimes benefiting candidates who did not initially win at the polls.

While the commission maintains that the ADC has the right to make its own decisions, it insists that political actors must weigh the risks carefully, as non-compliance with court rulings could ultimately undermine both the party’s plans and the credibility of future elections.