The Faculty of Law at University of Jos (UNIJOS) has dismissed allegations of results manipulation levelled against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Ojo Amupitan, describing the claims as false and politically motivated.

The rebuttal followed remarks by former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, who alleged in a television interview that Amupitan, while serving as Dean of the Faculty between 2008 and 2014, traded off the results of 16 “special students” in the 2009/2010 academic session.

But in a statement issued on Monday, the Dean of the Faculty, Francis M. Kwede, said there was no record or evidence to support the allegation, insisting that no such incident occurred in that class or any other.

“The allegation that Prof. Amupitan traded off the results of certain students is entirely untrue. Nothing of the sort ever happened in that class, or indeed any other class before or after, to the best knowledge of the Faculty Board,” the statement read.

Kwede emphasised that there was no manipulation of results or replacement of students who earned Second Class Upper Division with any group of undeserving candidates, as claimed.

He added that Amupitan’s tenure was marked by reforms that improved the integrity and efficiency of academic processes, including the introduction of Excel-based result computation to replace manual methods prone to errors and delays.

According to the Faculty, the innovation ensured accuracy and timeliness in result processing, enabling final-year students to meet deadlines for the Nigerian Law School.

The statement further defended Amupitan’s integrity, describing him as a man who conducted himself with “honour, candour, and professionalism” throughout his service to the university.

It noted that his leadership brought academic and infrastructural improvements to the Faculty and earned him multiple elections into the university’s Governing Council, as well as his eventual appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).

On Dalung’s claim of victimisation, the Faculty said records showed he successfully completed his postgraduate studies and obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree in December 2010.

“It is therefore not fathomable how he could claim to have sacrificed his studies on account of victimisation,” the statement added.

He noted that there was no record of Dalung contesting any academic result before the Faculty Board.

The Faculty said that the allegations were made in the context of partisan political discourse and urged the public to disregard them.

“There are no facts or records to substantiate claims of result favouritism or victimisation. Such comments should be ignored as products of political rhetoric,” it said.