The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of acting in violation of the law and taking sides in the party’s ongoing leadership dispute.

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the allegation on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show.

Abdullahi argued that a former party official, Nafiu Bala Gombe, no longer had the legal standing to act on behalf of the party, insisting that his tenure had ended following his resignation and the dissolution of the executive committee he belonged to.

He maintained that the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, as the next highest organ after the convention, had already taken decisions binding on the party’s leadership structure.

The ADC spokesman questioned INEC’s actions, alleging that the commission was recognising moves by Bala despite being aware of his resignation, thereby taking sides in the internal crisis.

Abdullahi further accused INEC of disregarding a subsisting directive of the Court of Appeal to maintain the status quo, describing the commission’s conduct as contemptuous of the court.

DAILY POST reports that the remarks follow 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.

The commission also said 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.

Abdullahi said: “As at 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 and internal affairs of the 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, even if he said he did not resign, the executive that he belong has been duly dissolved.

“So on what basis is INEC recognizing Bala’s action? Because INEC knew since August 12 that they received a notice of his resignation that he is no longer an official of the party.

“So what basis he being recognized? So recognizing 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 organization. And Amupitan is a chief criminal because what the Court of Appeal said is maintained status quo.”