AfriPulse
African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Amupitan, following allegations linking him to a pro-President Bola Ahmed Tinubu social media post made in 2023.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the development as a serious threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process and warned that the party would escalate its actions if the INEC Chairman fails to step aside.
Abdullahi said the revelation was not only disturbing but also undermines public confidence in the electoral body ahead of future elections.
“The recent revelation linking a pro-Bola Ahmed Tinubu tweet of 2023 to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Amupitan, is not merely disturbing, it is a grave affront to the integrity of our electoral system,” Abdullahi stated.
He stressed that electoral umpires must maintain absolute neutrality, noting that both independence and the perception of independence are essential to sustaining democratic credibility.
“In a democracy, the umpire must be above suspicion. He must not only be independent, he must be seen, beyond any reasonable doubt, to be independent. That is the minimum standard required of anyone entrusted with the sacred duty of conducting free and fair elections,” he added.
The ADC spokesperson further alleged that attempts were being made to alter digital records associated with the controversial post, describing such actions as a deliberate attempt to conceal partisanship.
“However, more troubling is the desperate attempt to tamper with digital records, to erase evidence of his previous partisanship. This is not a trivial matter. It is a calculated assault on truth and accountability,” Abdullahi said.
According to him, any official accused of manipulating records to shield personal interests cannot be trusted with managing electoral outcomes.
“A man who manipulates records to save himself cannot be trusted to safeguard the mandate of millions,” he stated.
Abdullahi said recent developments, including alleged conduct and utterances attributed to the INEC Chairman, further reinforced the party’s demand for his resignation.
“Over the past few days, it has been repeatedly revealed that Professor Amupitan, by his conduct, his utterances, and now by incontrovertible digital evidence, has fallen far below the standard expected of an electoral umpire,” he said.
Using a sports analogy, the ADC spokesman argued that neutrality is non-negotiable for election officials.
“The referee cannot be running around in the shirt of one of the teams he’s supposed to officiate in a match. This is why Professor Amupitan must resign. Now. Anything less is an insult to the Nigerian people and a dangerous precedent for our democracy,” Abdullahi added.
The party also disclosed plans to escalate its actions, including expanding petitions to both domestic and international bodies.
“Relying on this evidence, ADC will be updating our petitions to all relevant institutions, including to foreign governments and the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA,” he stated.
Abdullahi further warned that the party would intensify civil disobedience campaigns until the INEC Chairman vacates office.
“We will also renew and escalate our civil disobedience action until the INEC Chairman leaves office,” he said.
The development adds to growing political tensions ahead of future electoral contests, with opposition parties increasingly raising concerns over the independence and neutrality of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
INEC denies fake X post attributed to chairman
INEC has distanced its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, from a purported social media account on X (formerly Twitter), describes claims linking him to a partisan post as false and malicious.
In a statement issued by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, the Commission said the allegation that the Chairman endorsed a political post on the platform was “entirely baseless” and a deliberate fabrication aimed at misleading the public and undermining the integrity of the electoral body.
INEC clarified that Amupitan does not own or operate any personal account on X, stressing that he has never engaged in partisan commentary or aligned himself with any political interest, either in his official or private capacity.
Source: NationalAccordNewspaper | Read the Full Story…
