The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Thursday accused the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, of disobeying court orders, warning that the situation could affect preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Lagos, NNPP Secretary-General, Ogini Olaposi, said it is regrettable that a senior lawyer and professor of law would allegedly fail to comply with judicial directives.
Olaposi said contempt proceedings were pending against Amupitan before Justice Bello Kawu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. According to him, the INEC chairman, who was allegedly served with Forms 48 and 49 alongside a hearing notice, failed to appear before the court on Wednesday and instead sent an official from the commission’s litigation department identified as Isa.
He said the court queried the representative over the chairman’s absence and stressed the supremacy of court orders over administrative procedures. “The court reminded Isa that there is proof of service of Forms 48 and 49 and the notice of hearing in the court file,” Olaposi said. He added that the matter was adjourned until May 19, 2026.
The NNPP official further alleged that former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, had vowed to weaken the party after reportedly failing to secure an alliance involving Labour Party’s Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 elections.
Olaposi claimed court rulings from the Abia State High Court, the FCT High Court and the Court of Appeal in Owerri had affirmed NNPP founder and Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, as the party’s authentic leader.
He said the courts also directed INEC to restore the party’s original logo and upload the National Working Committee led by Dr Agbo Major to its server.
According to him, the FCT High Court ordered INEC to comply within 72 hours and file an affidavit of compliance within 14 days, but alleged that the commission had yet to act two months later.Olaposi said the party feared that delays in compliance could affect its participation in the 2027 elections if the current INEC timetable remained unchanged.