The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports that it removed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, from its candidates’ portal following a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The commission said it had yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment and had not convened any meeting to consider its implications for the party and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, disclosed this on Friday during a telephone interview with journalists. 
He was reacting to reports circulating on social media that the electoral body had removed the names of Atiku and Amaechi from its portal following the court ruling.Follow Politics
Haruna dismissed the reports, insisting that the commission had not taken any such decision.
“I don’t know where that statement came from. Somebody just forwarded it to me. We haven’t received the judgment yet,” he said.
He explained that obtaining a Certified True Copy of a court judgment could take several days, noting that it usually takes about a week to secure such documents.
A check of INEC’s candidates’ portal on Friday showed that Atiku and Amaechi were still listed as the ADC’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The clarification followed Thursday’s judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated decisions taken under its authority, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC representing the North-East, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
The court held that the process through which the leadership emerged failed to comply with relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and consequently nullified its actions.
The ruling also affected the party’s nominations for the 2027 general elections, including its presidential ticket.
However, the ADC has rejected the judgment and announced plans to challenge it at the appellate court.
The party also said it had filed an application for a stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal, urging INEC to exercise restraint while the legal process continues.
Atiku equally rejected the ruling, insisting that his presidential ambition remained on course despite the court decision.
INEC’s latest clarification indicates that the commission has not yet determined what administrative steps, if any, would follow from the judgment.
The commission maintained that it would consider the matter after officially receiving the court’s decision.
