The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, following allegations that a social media account linked to him posted messages supportive of President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said efforts to delete or obscure the digital footprint of the posts pointed to what it described as a “dangerous cover-up” that risks eroding confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
The controversy has intensified over recent days, with the INEC chair facing mounting scrutiny over the authenticity of the posts and their alleged connection to his online identity.
The ADC said the matter reinforced its earlier warning of what it characterised as a broader attempt to tilt the political playing field ahead of the 2027 general elections. Earlier this month, the party accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of seeking to consolidate a one-party state, alleging that the electoral body was being used to weaken opposition parties.
Amupitan has denied any association with the account or the posts in question. Speaking on Friday, he said he had never been a member of any political party and rejected claims of partisan affiliation.
But the ADC dismissed his explanation as insufficient, insisting that the allegations—alongside what it claimed were attempts to alter or erase digital records—raised serious questions about his suitability to lead the country’s electoral commission.
“In a democracy, the umpire must be above suspicion,” Abdullahi said. “He must not only be independent; he must be seen, beyond any reasonable doubt, to be independent. That is the minimum standard required of anyone entrusted with the sacred duty of conducting free and fair elections.”
He added that any attempt to manipulate digital evidence constituted “a calculated assault on truth and accountability”, arguing that such conduct was incompatible with the responsibilities of an electoral referee.
“A man who manipulates records to save himself cannot be trusted to safeguard the mandate of millions,” Abdullahi said, maintaining that the alleged conduct fell “far below the standard expected of an electoral umpire”.
Drawing a sporting analogy, he said: “The referee cannot be running around in the shirt of one of the teams he is supposed to officiate.”
The party said it would escalate the matter by updating its petitions to relevant institutions, including foreign governments and the Nigerian Bar Association.
The dispute adds to growing tensions between the electoral body and opposition parties, with questions over transparency and independence likely to feature prominently as political manoeuvring ahead of the next general election gathers pace.
