Stop Attacking INEC Over ‘Self-Inflicted Crisis’, South-South Youth Group Warns ADC

The South-South Youth Council has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against what it described as persistent attacks on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the party’s current challenges were the result of an internal legal crisis.

In a press statement issued by its spokesperson, Comrade Isreal Boma, the group defended INEC’s recent actions, stating that the Commission acted strictly within the bounds of the law.

LEADER reports that INEC had on Wednesday announced the derecognition of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, respectively. The electoral body also clarified that it would not recognise the litigant, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who was seeking to emerge as national chairman through judicial process.

According to the Commission, the decision followed a review of a Court of Appeal judgement delivered on March 12.

Reacting to the development, the Council maintained that INEC, under the leadership of Professor Joash Amupitan, remained a neutral regulatory body committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring due process in Nigeria’s electoral system.

“The crisis within the ADC is purely internal and legal in nature. It is both unfair and irresponsible to direct attacks at INEC for enforcing a court-backed position,” Boma said.

The group warned that attempts by aggrieved factions within the party to drag the electoral body into its internal disputes amount to a misplacement of blame.

It further urged all parties involved in the crisis to adopt lawful and peaceful mechanisms in resolving their differences, rather than resorting to public confrontations and criticisms of constitutional institutions.

“The Council calls on all warring factions within the ADC to seek legal and peaceful means to resolve their differences instead of engaging in actions capable of undermining public confidence in democratic institutions,” the statement added.