A ruling party chieftain and former Attorney General of Cross River State, Attah Ochinke, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what he described as a wrong interpretation of a court order in its decision to de-recognise the David Mark-led leadership of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Ochinke, a former Nigerian Bar Association chairman in Cross River State, said he was disappointed with INEC’s handling of the matter, insisting that the commission misinterpreted the court’s directive.
Speaking in an interview, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said the court order clearly instructed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the main case.
He explained that one faction in the ADC had gone to court seeking to stop the executive committee led by Mark from functioning.
According to him, instead of granting the request, the court ordered all parties to maintain the existing leadership structure until the case is fully decided.
“In practical terms, maintaining the status quo meant retaining the David Mark-led leadership,” Ochinke said.
However, he faulted INEC for what he called a wrong application of the ruling, arguing that the commission created a leadership vacuum.
“You cannot remove an existing leadership and claim to be preserving the status quo when, at no time, was the party without leadership,” he said.
Ochinke also criticised the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, saying his legal background should have ensured a better understanding of the court order.
“I am surprised because the INEC chairman is a respected Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. One would expect him to properly interpret such a directive,” he said.
He warned that INEC’s decision could damage public trust in the electoral body, adding that it raises concerns about credibility.
On the way forward, Ochinke advised the ADC to seek judicial clarification of the order instead of filing an appeal, which he said could take longer.
While expressing confidence in the APC, he stressed the need for credible elections and rejected claims that the ruling party is behind crises in opposition parties.
“There is no evidence to support such allegations. The actors involved in the crises within the PDP, ADC and Labour Party are all members of those parties,” he added.
