The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has renewed its demand for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, over allegations linking him to past social media posts perceived as supportive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party’s latest stance follows days of escalating controversy surrounding an X (formerly Twitter) account allegedly associated with Amupitan, which reportedly made partisan remarks during the heated 2023 general election period.
Among the posts now circulating widely online is a response to an APC youth leader’s claim of electoral success in parts of Lagos, to which the account allegedly replied “victory is sure” - a phrase critics say amounts to open political endorsement.
Other resurfaced posts attributed to the account reportedly include a description of supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi as “evil in the 24th century,” as well as a reference to President Tinubu by the campaign nickname “Asiwaju,” a term widely used in APC political messaging.
Although the controversial posts were reportedly deleted or obscured shortly after gaining attention, screenshots and archived versions have continued to circulate on social media, intensifying public debate over the neutrality of Nigeria’s electoral umpire ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the development as “deeply disturbing” and warned that it poses a serious threat to confidence in the electoral process.
“The electoral umpire must not only be independent, it must be seen to be beyond suspicion at all times,” Abdullahi said. “The emergence of these alleged pro-Tinubu and pro-APC sentiments attributed to the INEC chairman undermines the credibility of our democratic system.”
The party argued that the controversy is not isolated to a single post but forms part of what it described as a broader pattern of concerns around Amupitan’s leadership of the electoral commission. It cited INEC’s recent stance on opposition party leadership disputes, particularly within the ADC, as well as past policy decisions such as voter revalidation proposals, which critics feared could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters.
The ADC also alleged attempts to alter or obscure digital traces connected to the disputed account, describing such actions as “a dangerous assault on transparency and accountability in public office.”
“A man who cannot account for his digital footprint cannot be trusted to safeguard the democratic mandate of millions of Nigerians,” the party said.
The controversy has been further fueled by open-source intelligence (OSINT) claims circulating online, alleging that the X account in question is linked to email and phone records associated with Amupitan. While these claims remain unverified, they have significantly amplified public scrutiny and political tension.
In response, INEC has strongly denied any association between the chairman and the disputed account. Through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, the commission dismissed the allegations as “false, malicious, and the handiwork of impersonators and cybercriminals.”
INEC insisted that Professor Amupitan does not operate any personal account on X and has never engaged in partisan political commentary, adding that security agencies had been alerted to investigate the alleged digital impersonation.
Despite the denial, the ADC has maintained its position, insisting that the credibility of the electoral umpire is at stake and that the allegations cannot be ignored without undermining public trust.
“This is why Professor Amupitan must resign. Now,” the party declared. “Anything less would be an insult to Nigerians and a dangerous precedent for our democracy.”
The opposition party further disclosed plans to escalate the matter by submitting updated petitions to local and international institutions, including the Nigerian Bar Association and foreign diplomatic missions.
It also vowed to intensify civil disobedience actions until the INEC chairman steps down, warning that it would not recognize electoral processes overseen under his leadership if the matter remains unresolved.
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