The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stopped recognising communications from both the David Mark and Rafiu Bala factions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on March 12. INEC announced it will no longer monitor meetings, congresses or conventions of either faction and will remove David Mark's name from its official portal. The decision was confirmed in a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu, Chairman of Information and Voter Education at INEC. Professor Anthony Kila, a strategist and development expert, urged INEC to consider the practical consequences of its actions during an interview on Channels Television's The Morning Brief on Wednesday. He warned that technical correctness should not override real-world outcomes. Kila described INEC's current approach as flawed, citing structural and managerial issues. He said electoral bodies in other democracies operate efficiently enough to remain largely invisible, unlike INEC, which frequently draws public attention.
Anthony Kila's critique cuts to the core of INEC's growing visibility—not as a mark of efficiency, but as a symptom of recurring controversy. By delisting both ADC factions and withdrawing engagement, INEC has positioned itself not as a neutral arbiter but as an active player in internal party disputes, a role that risks deepening political instability.
The commission's reliance on a March 12 Court of Appeal judgment as justification does not erase the reality of its expanding administrative footprint in party affairs. Kila's observation that INEC focuses on consequences after actions, rather than before, exposes a pattern of reactive governance. When an electoral body becomes a constant subject of debate instead of a background institution enabling process, public trust erodes.
Ordinary Nigerians, especially ADC members and voters, are left in limbo, unable to participate in a clear party structure or trust that their affiliations will be recognised. This uncertainty undermines electoral participation and weakens party loyalty, hitting grassroots supporters hardest.
INEC's increasing centrality in political conflicts fits a broader trend where institutions meant to regulate democracy instead become entangled in it. The aspiration for an invisible, efficient electoral body remains unmet, as INEC continues to make headlines not for seamless elections, but for decisions that generate more disputes than they resolve.
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