From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed calls for the removal of its Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, describing such demands as unconstitutional and a threat to the independence of Nigeria’s electoral body.
In a statement signed and issued to Triumph in Abuja, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said: “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to recent public statements by political actors alleging partisan bias and calling for the removal of the Chairman of the Commission on account of its decision to obey the recent Court of Appeal judgment.”
Oketola clarified that the commission is a creation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and that the appointment, tenure, and removal of the chairman and National commissioners are strictly governed by Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to the chief press secretary, the INEC chairman does not hold office at the pleasure of any political party or interest group, and any call for his removal outside the established constitutional process is not only a distraction but also a direct assault on the independence of the nation’s electoral umpire.
He added that while political parties or groups are entitled to protect their interests, the commission decided to comply with the Court of Appeal judgment to avert a situation similar to what occurred in Zamfara and Plateau states, where elected officials were removed by election tribunals due to disobedience of court judgments.
In addition, the commission did not want to violate the preservative order of the court, which restrained it from taking any step that could render the processes already filed at the Federal High Court nugatory.
Proceeding to monitor the congresses and convention of the David Mark-led ADC would amount to disobedience of that order, as the reliefs sought in the originating summons include an order restraining INEC from monitoring any meeting, congress, or convention of the party.
He also stated that, far from undermining the multi-party system, the commission under Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has actively expanded the democratic space.
He noted that the recent registration and recognition of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and the National Democratic Party (NDP), bringing the total number of active political parties to 22, is an empirical rebuttal to any claim of a one-party agenda. INEC remains a neutral regulator, not a participant in political competition.
Adedayo also addressed misconceptions surrounding the planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise, explaining that the exercise, which aims to sanitise the voters’ register and update data from 2011 to 2024, is an administrative audit not a fresh registration and will be conducted uniformly across all local government areas, with digital access for voters.
He stated that the priority of the commission is to deliver free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections, particularly the upcoming Ekiti (June 2026) and Osun (August 2026) off-cycle elections.
He dismissed the allegations and affirmed that the commission’s decisions are guided solely by the constitution and the rule of law.
“The call for the resignation of Professor Amupitan is out of place. INEC remains focused on ensuring transparency, fairness, and integrity in Nigeria’s electoral process,” Oketola said.