ADC Urges INEC Chair to Resign Over Alleged Partisanship, Threatens Noncompliance

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded that Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), resign immediately after accusations surfaced regarding partisan activity connected to his social media account. The ADC also warned that they may not comply with the related proceedings of elections conducted by him.

The issue started when people online began speculating that the INEC chairman had a private account on X (previously known as Twitter) through which he interacted with politically charged content, sparking widespread public response.

In a statement shared on Saturday by the ADC party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, stressed that the credibility of the electoral body’s leadership must remain beyond reproach, noting that any perceived bias could undermine public trust in Nigeria’s democratic process.

He described the alleged partisan activity as a serious violation of the ethical standards expected of an electoral umpire.

“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.

Abdullahi further raised concerns about what he termed attempts to manipulate digital evidence related to the controversy, warning that such actions could erode accountability and transparency in public office.

“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.

The ADC spokesperson argued that the alleged conduct falls short of the expectations placed on the head of the country’s electoral body, likening the situation to a referee showing open allegiance to one side in a match.

“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.”

He also disclosed that the party plans to escalate the matter by petitioning relevant institutions, including international stakeholders and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), while considering further civil actions.

“We will also renew and escalate our civil disobedience action until the INEC Chairman leaves office,” he added.

However, the INEC chairman, through his chief press secretary, Adedayo Oketola, dismissed the allegations, describing them as unfounded.

He mentioned that the INEC chairman does not have any involvement in partisan commentary on social media.

According to the statement, the claims are “entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors”.

Amupitan maintained that he has not operated any account used for political engagement and urged the public to disregard what he described as a misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting his office.

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