Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Peter Obi Our President (PETOOP) group has called for the immediate resignation of Prof. Josh Amupitan as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging that the commission has abandoned its role as an impartial umpire and descended into partisanship.
The group, led by its spokesperson, Magnus Oraka, the National Convener of PETOOP, stated that INEC’s alleged partisan interference in the affairs of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) indicates that the commission’s leadership under Prof. Joash Amupitan is not only partisan but also blatantly biased.
Oraka made this known while briefing journalists at a press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat in Jos on Saturday.
The conference was themed: “Securing Nigeria’s Future: A Press Conference on Political Justice and Electoral Integrity.”
He alleged that an INEC chairman who suggests that victory is assured before a single ballot is cast has already compromised the principles of free, fair, and credible elections.
“Victory is assured for whom? For the APC? For Tinubu? That single statement reflects the rot at the heart of his leadership,” he said.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate statesmanship by removing the INEC chairman immediately if he refuses to resign.
He added that if the president fails to act, the National Assembly should invoke its constitutional powers to restore the integrity of the electoral body.
“According to him, a partisan INEC is the death of free elections. We will not accept a situation where the umpire wears the jersey of one team,” Oraka stated.
He also said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) must allow its presidential flagbearer to emerge from southern Nigeria, warning that failure to do so could hand the ruling party an easy victory in 2027.
While calling on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to drop his presidential ambition, Oraka argued that from 1960 to date, the North has produced more leaders than the South, and therefore, the South has a stronger claim to produce the next president.