The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has cleared former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and 470 other candidates presented by David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 general elections.

The INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, made this known on Tuesday, noting that the commission will recognise only the candidates submitted by the David Mark-led leadership.

Haruna added that the commission granted the Mark-led leadership access to its candidate nomination portal following the Supreme Court judgment affirming its leadership of the party.

The INEC senior official further stated that the faction has already submitted candidates for 471 elective positions, comprising one presidential candidate, 109 senatorial candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.

“Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his leadership of the party and the faction has since submitted most of its candidates for a total of 471 – presidential (1), senatorial (109) and House of Representatives (360) constituencies.

The court, however, did not say we should accept any submissions by the rival faction which, in any case, had lost its appeal for recognition,” he said.

According to him, INEC would study the Certified True Copy of Monday’s Court of Appeal judgment before taking an official position on its implications.

“INEC cannot say anything until we see the judgment. We have to see the details of the judgment first. Hopefully, in the next two days, within 48 hours, the court should release the judgment. We will study it, and then the commission will take a position,” he added.