₦airaland Forum

a former director in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, has faulted the commission’s de-recognition of the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that the Opposition party should go ahead with its planned congresses despite its ongoing leadership dispute before the court.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Friday, Osaze-Uzzi said while he held the leadership of INEC in high regard, he had serious reservations about the commission’s interpretation of the Appeal Court order at the centre of the ADC leadership tussle.

Osaze-Uzzi, who was a INEC director of Voter Education and Publicity, argued that the order in question was not one that stripped either side in the crisis of legitimacy, but rather one that sought to preserve the subject matter of the case pending final determination by the High Court.

“Because the court did not say that INEC will withdraw recognition from either faction. All it did say is that both INEC and the contesting factions will be careful not to do anything that will usurp the power of the court and its ability to do justice on the matter,” he stated.

“I think the ADC should proceed with all that they are doing, as long as they do not impugn the majesty of the court and its ability to do justice on the case,” Osaze-Uzzi said.

According to him, the court did not direct INEC to withdraw recognition from either of the contending factions in the party, but only cautioned all parties against taking any step that could undermine the authority of the court or frustrate the judicial process.

“The chairman of the commission is a respected academic, a lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, so he has reached the highest recognition in the academia and in the legal profession as a senior advocate,” Osaze-Uzzi said.

He added, “There is also a vibrant legal department in the commission that can boast of three to four senior advocates. I want to believe they carefully studied that judgement, but in its interpretation and interpolation of that order, I have a reservation about that.”

Osaze-Uzzi also dismissed suggestions that any congress or convention held without the physical presence of INEC officials would automatically be invalid, stressing that the Electoral Act does not make the commission’s attendance a condition for the legality of a party’s internal exercise.

“Whether INEC attends the convention or not does not invalidate the congress and the outcome,” he said.

Explaining further, he said what the law requires is that the electoral commission must be notified ahead of such party activities, not necessarily that it must be present before the decisions taken can stand.

“What the Electoral Act says is that you will notify INEC at least 21 days to your convention. If you do that, INEC has the power to attend by itself and validate what goes on there,” he added.

dre11:
https://leadership.ng/inec-wrong-to-de-recognise-david-mark-led-adc-leadership-says-ex-inec-director/

alsudan:
This is coming from the longest serving Director of Voter Education and one of most experienced INEC Official ever.

Amupitan should not set our Country on Fire. The window is still there for him to choose Nigeria over anybody.

Nigeria is no Uganda, Equitorial Guinee, Congo or Cameroon. Life Presidency can never work here, if in doubt, go and ask Abacha.

ZombieTERROR:
Wike, Kachikwu, Kayamo, etc knows more than the ex INEC director?

never...

they're all sycophants, killing this country

It's clear Amupitan is an APc mole
he showed his hands too early

dre11:
https://leadership.ng/inec-wrong-to-de-recognise-david-mark-led-adc-leadership-says-ex-inec-director/

femi4:
Not Inec's fault..the party couldn't put their house in order

alsudan:
This is coming from the longest serving Director of Voter Education and one of most experienced INEC Official ever.

Amupitan should not set our Country on Fire. The window is still there for him to choose Nigeria over anybody.

Nigeria is no Uganda, Equitorial Guinee, Congo or Cameroon. Life Presidency can never work here, if in doubt, go and ask Abacha.

femi4:
Not Inec's fault..the party couldn't put their house in order

Globad:
The former inec director knows more than the entire legal department of inec?

HIGHESTPOPORI:
So every party in Nigeria apart from apc can no longer put their house in order

dre11:
https://leadership.ng/inec-wrong-to-de-recognise-david-mark-led-adc-leadership-says-ex-inec-director/

franchasofficia:
No they should continue pushing Tinubu to doom.


You see Nyesome Wike and co, they will be the reason for Tinubu's political doomsday crash

princeade86:
Every sane Nigerians know the script they playing

iwaeda:
Wike Boasts Of Helping APC Use Judiciary To Kill Osun LG Funds Case, Warns Party Leaders Against Ingratitude

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has openly boasted that he assisted certain elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in deploying the judiciary to frustrate the Osun State local government allocation lawsuit.

In a video now circulating widely on social media and obtained by SaharaReporters, Wike made the claim while addressing a crowd in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The former Rivers governor accused the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, of benefitting from judicial actions against the Osun State Government without knowing those who did the work behind the scenes.

The suit in question led to the withholding of local government funds in Osun State, a development widely seen as targeting the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as opposition in the state.

Wike, who spoke angrily, suggested that the court action supporting the APC’s position against the Osun government did not happen by chance, boasting that powerful political forces worked quietly to ensure the outcome.

“Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted,” Wike warned, in an apparent message to APC leaders defending Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. “You have to be careful about the statements you make. You have to be very careful.”

He accused Basiru of political ingratitude, claiming the APC was enjoying in Osun State without understanding who engineered their advantage.

“Today, you are enjoying in Osun. You don’t know those who did the work,” Wike said. “You are opening your mouth to talk about Rivers State.”

https://saharareporters.com/2026/01/08/wike-boasts-helping-apc-use-judiciary-kill-osun-lg-funds-case-warns-party-leaders