Lawmakers from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Nigeria’s House of Representatives have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack and prosecute the head of the country’s electoral body, citing allegations of bias ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The caucus, led by Afam Ogene, said the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, had compromised his position through alleged partisan conduct, including social media activity said to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Speaking in Abuja after a caucus meeting on Monday, Ogene said the group had lost confidence in Amupitan’s ability to oversee a “free, fair and credible” election cycle.
The allegations centre on a disputed account on the social media platform X, which the caucus claims belongs to the INEC chairman and contains posts supportive of the APC as well as commentary on sensitive national issues. INEC has denied any link between Amupitan and the account, but Ogene said “digital forensic analysis and other online investigations” suggested otherwise.
“In light of these inconsistencies and concerns regarding impartiality and integrity, the caucus calls for his removal and prosecution,” Ogene said, warning that the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process was at stake.
The demand comes amid a widening leadership crisis within the ADC, which the lawmakers blame on INEC’s handling of internal party disputes. At the centre of the row is the commission’s withdrawal of its earlier recognition of former Senate president David Mark as the party’s leader, as well as that of a rival faction led by Nafiu Bala.
The reversal, the caucus argued, has deepened divisions within the party and raised uncertainty over its ability to field candidates in the next general election.
ADC lawmakers accused the electoral commission of overstepping its constitutional role by intervening in what they described as an internal party matter. They further alleged collusion between elements within INEC and the judiciary to influence ongoing legal proceedings related to the party’s leadership dispute — a claim for which no independent evidence was immediately provided.
The caucus said it was preparing to escalate the matter by petitioning the National Judicial Council, calling for an investigation into judges accused of political interference. The move follows recent concerns raised by Afam Osigwe over the conduct of some judicial officers.
The growing dispute underscores mounting tensions within Nigeria’s opposition ranks as political actors begin to position themselves for the 2027 elections, with questions over electoral neutrality and institutional independence increasingly taking centre stage.
