The African Democratic Congress caucus in the House of Representatives has called for the prosecution and immediate removal of INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan, and warning that his continued tenure poses a direct threat to the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The caucus made its position public following its inaugural meeting on Sunday, April 12, where members reviewed recent political developments and arrived at a damning verdict on the state of Nigeria’s electoral commission.
At the heart of their grievance is an allegation that Amupitan previously operated a personal X account formerly Twitter through which he allegedly expressed support for the ruling All Progressives Congress and shared controversial posts referencing claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
INEC has flatly denied any connection between the chairman and the account, but the ADC caucus said digital forensic findings and online investigations tell a different story.
“The office of the INEC chairman is too critical to be tainted by allegations of partisanship,” the caucus stated in a strongly worded resolution, warning that inaction risks eroding public confidence in the electoral process entirely.
The lawmakers didn’t stop there. They accused INEC, under Amupitan’s watch, of actively working to sideline the ADC ahead of upcoming elections specifically by recognising what they described as an illegitimate leadership faction within the party, in defiance of the faction led by former Senate President David Mark, which they said had previously satisfied INEC’s own requirements.
In their view, the commission has overstepped its constitutional mandate and strayed into partisan territory.
The caucus went further still, alleging collusion between certain INEC officials and members of the judiciary to influence the outcome of a pending court case over the party’s internal leadership dispute a case scheduled for hearing on April 14.
Citing Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, the lawmakers argued that courts have no jurisdiction over internal party matters and cautioned against what they called judicial overreach.
In a significant escalation, the caucus announced plans to petition the National Judicial Council over what it described as the compromise of judicial officers by political interests.
The lawmakers invoked the legacy of revered jurists Chukwudifu Oputa, Niki Tobi, Kayode Eso, and Mohammed Uwais as a benchmark for the integrity they say the current judiciary sorely lacks.
They also referenced recent remarks by Nigerian Bar Association President Afam Osigwe, who had publicly raised concerns about growing perceptions of judicial bias, including the controversial practice of politicians gifting vehicles to judges.
Framing the situation as an “existential threat” to Nigerian democracy, the ADC caucus called on citizens across party lines to rally in defence of democratic institutions.
“INEC must not only be independent in name,” the caucus declared, “but must also demonstrate impartiality, transparency, credibility, and trustworthiness.” In their assessment, that standard is currently falling far short.
