The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has raised concerns over what it described as attempts to mobilise civil society organisations (CSOs) for a planned “national protest” allegedly aimed at blackmailing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Executive Director of NCSCN, Blessing Akinlosotu, said the Council had received intelligence indicating that certain actors were seeking to enlist CSOs to advance partisan interests under the guise of civic action. The NCSCN warned that such moves, if allowed to proceed, could undermine the integrity and credibility of the civil society space.

“We have received intelligence regarding attempts to mobilise CSOs for a ‘National Protest’ aimed at blackmailing the Commission. We state categorically that the civil society space will not be rented for partisan warfare,” the council said.

The umbrella body stressed that civil society organisations must remain non-partisan and committed to promoting accountability, transparency and good governance, rather than being used as tools for political manipulation.

The Executive Director further cautioned groups and individuals against participating in activities that could compromise the independence of civil society, noting that the sector plays a critical role in strengthening democracy and public trust.

The text of the press conference titled ‘The unwarranted attacks on the integrity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the need to protect Nigeria’s democratic institutions’, also passed a unanimous vote of confidence in INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN.

It noted that the Commission’s de-recognition of the Senator David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) is not an act of victimization but a strict adherence to the Court of Appeal’s order to return to the status existing before September 2, 2025.

“It is high time political parties come to the reality that INEC has enormous powers under section 228 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 and sections 82(4) and 83 of the Electoral Act 2026 to enforce internal democracy within the political parties, strict compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act including the fair and transparent conduct of their affairs and give lawful directives to them.

“The ‘legal blunder’ of challenging jurisdiction at the appellate level instead of arguing the merit at the trial court was a strategic choice by the party faction, not a fault of the Commission. This blunder wasted over five months of the Party’s electoral activities as it relates to the present Time table released by INEC,” Akinlosotu said.

He advised the Mark-led faction of the ADC to return to the trial court to argue their legitimacy rather than seeking a political solution to a legal problem.

He also warned civil society organisations and affiliates that it would sanction and de-affiliate any organisation that participates in the planned ‘protests of misinformation’, even as he urged the public to disregard the calls for the INEC Chairman’s resignation. “It is a smokescreen designed to distract the Commission from its reformative path,” he said.

He continued: “As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a distinguished Professor of Law, Prof. Amupitan has brought a “Rule of Law” first approach to the Commission. His refusal to bow to political pressure in the ADC matter is proof of his commitment to judicial sanctity.

“Under his leadership, we have seen a shift away from the “primitive era” of result manipulation and ballot snatching toward a system where votes truly count through the safeguards that have been introduced into the BVAS. The current focus on tackling ‘Vote Trading’ is a testament to the fact that the electoral process has become too robust for old-fashioned rigging”.