Spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi has called for the immediate resignation of INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, over allegations of partisan commentary.
The demand follows recent claims circulating online that Amupitan operated a personal account on X and engaged with a politically biased post.
In a statement issued on X on Saturday, Abdullahi maintained that the credibility of the INEC chairman must be beyond reproach, describing the alleged partisan post as a “grave affront” to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
“In a democracy, the umpire must be above suspicion. He must not only be independent, but he must also 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,” the statement reads.
“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,” he added.
Abdullahi argued that comments linked to Amupitan suggest he has fallen short of the standard expected of an electoral umpire.
“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,” he said.
“Anything less is an insult to the Nigerian people and a dangerous precedent for our democracy.”
He added that the ADC will petition relevant institutions, including foreign governments and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), over the alleged post.
“We will also renew and escalate our civil disobedience action until the INEC Chairman leaves office,” Abdullahi said.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked claims circulating on social media alleging that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, endorsed a partisan post on X (formerly Twitter), describing the allegation as false and malicious.
In a statement issued on April 10, 2026, the commission dismissed the report as a “malicious and coordinated campaign of calumny,” stressing that the chairman does not own or operate any personal account on the platform.
INEC maintained that the claim was entirely fabricated, noting that Amupitan has never engaged in partisan commentary or aligned himself with any political interest, either publicly or privately.
According to the commission, the purported X post is a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity and neutrality of its leadership at a critical period when it is focused on electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls.
The electoral body also raised alarm over the activities of cybercriminals, accusing them of creating fake social media accounts in the chairman’s name to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
It revealed that several such accounts had been identified and reported to security agencies.
INEC described the incident as part of a sustained pattern of identity theft and misinformation aimed at exploiting its profile for illicit purposes.
The commission said it is collaborating with security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track down those responsible, warning that offenders would be prosecuted in line with the law.
It further emphasised that identity theft and the spread of fake or manipulated content on social media constitute offences under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act, vowing to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
INEC urged the public to disregard the false claims and rely solely on its verified communication channels and official statements for accurate information.
Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, the commission said it would not be distracted by attempts to erode public trust.
The statement was signed by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman.
