Dare Babalola
Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called for the immediate resignation or removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over allegations of partisanship.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Ibe accused the electoral umpire of harbouring sympathies for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing what he described as resurfaced social media posts allegedly linked to the INEC chairman.
“INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan is more than a teacher and practitioner of law, it is evidently clear that he is also a closet sympathiser of the ruling APC. He needs to resign immediately or be sacked!” Ibe wrote.
The demand comes amid growing controversy surrounding claims that past comments attributed to Amupitan suggest political alignment with the APC, raising concerns among opposition figures about the neutrality of the electoral body ahead of future elections.
On Friday, Amupitan through his spokesperson, Adedayo Oketola, issued a rebuttal on claims the INEC chairman was President Bola Tinubu’s supporter, affirming he’s a neutral appointee, a requirement mandated by the constitution to protect the sanctity of the nation’s election space.
Oketola in the statement claiming Amupitan “does not own or operate any personal account on X. He has at no time engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity.”
The development adds to a series of recent criticisms by opposition actors questioning the independence of the commission.
Earlier, Ibe had also alleged undue influence from the presidency in INEC-related matters, intensifying the political debate over the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
INEC, constitutionally mandated to conduct free and fair elections, has repeatedly maintained its independence, but such accusations from high-profile political aides are likely to heighten scrutiny as the country inches closer to the 2027 general elections.
