The Obidient Movement has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to explain the circumstances under which National Commissioner Rhoda Gumus appeared as acting chairman during an engagement with an African Union delegation in Abuja.

Gumus received the AU Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission, led by former Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, at INEC headquarters on Tuesday as part of the delegation’s assessment of Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The development prompted the movement to seek clarification on when INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, handed over his duties and the reason for his absence.

In a statement on Wednesday, the movement’s National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said the commission had not, to its knowledge, publicly explained the circumstances surrounding the chairman’s absence.

“As far as the Obidient Movement and Nigerians are concerned, there was no official communication of Professor Amupitan’s handover to anyone, either in acting or substantive capacity,” Tanko said.

He asked INEC to clarify Amupitan’s location, official schedule and the circumstances that led to Gumus performing the chairman’s duties.

The movement also asked the commission to state when Amupitan left Abuja, the purpose of his absence and who authorised it. It further sought clarification on whether he had travelled outside Nigeria and, if so, the official engagements undertaken during the period.

Tanko also questioned whether the INEC chairman had met or was scheduled to meet President Bola Tinubu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress or representatives of the ruling party.

The group said greater transparency was necessary as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify, citing INEC’s constitutional responsibility for organising elections and the importance of public confidence in the electoral process.

“As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the INEC Chairman cannot operate in secrecy,” Tanko said.

The movement also raised concerns about what it described as Amupitan’s alleged political associations, calling on the commission to demonstrate neutrality in its operations.

However, INEC’s official website identifies Amupitan as the commission’s chairman and lists Gumus among its national commissioners.

INEC has previously said Amupitan does not operate a personal account on X and rejected allegations of partisan activity involving him, describing such claims as fabricated.

Efforts to obtain INEC’s response to the questions raised by the Obidient Movement were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.