Resignation could undermine democratic stability, says Oluwafemi

Indications have emerged that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, may be forced to throw in the towel by growing public denunciation of his alleged bias for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
 
Also, the Country Director of ActionAid, Andrew Mamedu, called his resignation over alleged past partisan social media activity.
 
However, public affairs analyst and development consultant, Victor Oluwafemi, urged due process and responsible public discourse over calls for his resignation.
 
The INEC chairman had, at the last consultative meeting between stakeholders and the commission, declared that under his watch, the commission would maintain neutrality in the electoral competition among political parties in the lead-up to the 2027 general election.
 
He, however, declared that the electoral umpire would not be passive in the face of any breach of the electoral guidelines or constitutional stipulations, explaining that the commission received input from relevant stakeholders before drafting the 2026 electoral guidelines.
 
But barely two weeks after the meeting, INEC announced that it had rescinded the accreditation of Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, as chairman and secretary, respectively, of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
 
Piqued by INEC’s action, which was reportedly informed by the commission’s interpretation of an order of the Court of Appeal, the embattled leadership called on Amupitan to resign from office immediately for display of evident bias in favour of the ruling party.
 
No sooner had the opposition coalition leaders submitted a letter calling for the INEC chairman to quit from his office than Nigerians doubled down on the allegation of bias against the former law teacher and dug up online entrails revealing his past public statements endorsing President Bola Tinubu and supporting APC.
 
However, it is not likely that Tinubu would activate constitutional processes for the removal of Amupitan, even as opposition political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) threaten to embark on mass action to press for his resignation.
 
Section 157 of the Constitution stipulates that for a chairman of INEC to be removed from office by the President to succeed, it must be supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate for offences bordering on misconduct or inability to perform his responsibilities.
 
However, many precedents show that if the mass action and public calls for his resignation persist, Amupitan will go like other public officers that were confronted with similar fiasco.  
 
But, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, the INEC boss said the “allegation is entirely baseless, a total fabrication and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors”.
 
Nigerians have continued to debate the partisan inclination of the alleged Amupitan’s pro-APC social media posts, as well as his statement of denial. An X user, Olusegun Onigbinde, in a post showing his reservations about the commission’s denials, stated: “INEC still hasn’t answered a basic question: how were its chair’s email and phone linked to an account they now deny. Public trust is non-negotiable. Nigerians deserve clear evidence; not vague statements. Strengthen accountability or step aside, because democracy depends on it.”

IN a statement issued on Sunday, Mamedu said screenshots circulating online appear to show Amupitan engaging in partisan political conversations prior to his appointment. He noted that one of the posts suggested support for a narrative aligned with APC, including a message indicating that “victory is sure.”
 
Mamedu expressed concern over INEC’s response to the controversy, particularly its denial of ownership of the social media account linked to the chairman. According to him, the denial “in the face of mounting digital evidence raises more questions than it answers.”
 
He argued that even if the alleged posts were made before Amupitan’s appointment and in a personal capacity, their proximity to the 2023 general elections raised serious concerns about perceived neutrality.
  
“While individuals are entitled to political opinions, these actions occurred within the immediate political environment of the 2023 elections. That proximity is exactly why Nigerians now struggle with the perception of neutrality,” he said.
 
The ActionAid director stressed that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system depends not only on actual impartiality but also on public confidence in its leadership.

ON his part, Oluwafemi described the calls for Amupitan’s resignation as premature and as a risk to democratic stability in the country.
 
He said while accountability remains central to any functioning democracy, the manner, tone and timing of these demands raise serious questions about intent and consequences.
  
“It is important to critically examine whether such calls are grounded in verifiable institutional breaches or whether they reflect political positioning and reactionary pressure.
  
“The positions recently advanced by ADC and the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria, if not exercised with caution, risk projecting a troubling precedent that leadership within critical national institutions can be influenced through public agitation rather than constitutional procedure,” he added.