The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded the immediate resignation of Professor Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over an alleged partisan social media post.
INEC has denied the allegation. It described the claim as “false and malicious.”
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson of the party, described the development as a “grave affront” to Nigeria’s electoral integrity.
He said reports linking the INEC chairman to a pro-Bola Tinubu tweet in 2023 raise serious concerns about his neutrality.
The party also alleged an attempt to tamper with digital records. It said the move aims to erase evidence of partisanship.
“More troubling is the desperate attempt to tamper with digital records,” the statement said.
“This is not a trivial matter. It is a calculated assault on truth and accountability.”
Furthermore, ADC said an electoral umpire must be independent. It added that such an official must also be seen as independent.
The party said Amupitan has fallen below that standard.
“A man who manipulates records to save himself cannot be trusted,” it said.
ADC argued that the alleged actions undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“The referee cannot wear the shirt of one of the teams he is meant to officiate,” the party added.
In addition, the party said it will escalate the matter. It plans to update its petitions to relevant institutions.
These include foreign governments and the Nigerian Bar Association.
ADC also threatened to intensify civil disobedience.
It said the action will continue until the INEC chairman resigns.
“This is why Professor Amupitan must resign. Now,” the statement added.
“Anything less is an insult to the Nigerian people and a dangerous precedent for our democracy.”
