Group Demands Resignation of INEC Chairman, Accuses Him of Bias

Chuks Okocha and Alex Enumah in Abuja

A group, Opposition Watch Nigeria (OWN) has called for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, for allegedly interfering in the internal affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The group, which made the call in a statement yesterday  in Abuja by its Spokesperson, Aisha Bello, said it is committed to protecting democratic principles, political pluralism, and the rule of law.

It accused the Chairman of INEC of blatant bias and improper interference in the internal affairs of political parties, specifically the SDP and PDP.

It expressed deep concern over actions that undermine the independence and impartiality of INEC as the nation’s electoral umpire.

Speaking on its case against the INEC chairman, the group highlighted recent developments where electoral umpire has been accused of taking sides in disputes within opposition parties.

It  said: “The Supreme Court has repeatedly reprimanded INEC for unwarranted meddling in the party’s internal leadership and nomination processes,” describing such actions as a gross overreach of the commission’s constitutional mandate.

On the issue of the PDP internal disputes, OWN said: “Conflicting recognitions of leadership groups and questionable invitations to meetings have fueled perceptions of selective interference.”

OWN alleged that “these moves” are strategically aimed at weakening opposition structures ahead of future electoral cycles.

While accusing Prof Amupitan of a breach of constitutional mandate, the group said: “INEC’s role is to regulate and monitor elections, not to act as an arbiter or impose decisions on the internal governance of political parties.”

Continuing, the statement read: “By repeatedly overstepping its bounds, despite clear judicial pronouncements affirming party autonomy, the current leadership (of INEC has compromised its neutrality and eroded public trust in the electoral process.”

The group  emphasised that such conduct risks tilting the political playing field in favour of the ruling party, stifling genuine multiparty competition, and paving the way for a slide toward authoritarianism. The OWN noted that impartiality is fundamental to credible elections and that any perception of bias threatens the very integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

Speaking on the path forward, OWN said: “Opposition parties like the SDP, PDP, and others deserve to resolve their internal matters in accordance with their own constitutions, free from external dictation by INEC. The Chairman’s continued tenure under these circumstances is untenable and poses a clear and present danger to free and fair elections.”

The group therefore, urged all lovers of democracy, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to join the demand for accountability.

It insisted that the Chairman’s resignation is the only way to restore confidence in the Commission and ensure a level playing field for upcoming elections.

“Patriots must resist any attempt to weaponise state institutions against opposition voices. Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford an umpire perceived as playing for one side,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, a constitutional and senior lawyer, Professor Sebastine Hon, SAN, has faulted the Sharia Council of Nigeria, over its call for the sacking of Prof  Amupitan.

Hon pointed out that the call based on possible bias against a particular interest was not only ridiculous but amounts to an invitation to President Bola Tinubu to breach the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the senior lawyer described the call as an unguided request, which is not tenable constitutionally and empirically.

Accusing the body of employing cheap blackmail, the Professor of law explained that contrary to the erroneous position of the Sharia Council, the INEC chairman can only be removed from office by the President, acting on the provisions of the Constitution and the requirements from National Assembly.

“I have observed with shock the call made by the Sharia Council of Nigeria for the removal or resignation of Prof. Joash Amupitan from office as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The reasons advanced by the Council are, with respect, not tenable constitutionally and empirically.

“Subsections (1) and (2) of section 157 of the Constitution provide that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission “may only be removed from that office by the President acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.

“From the above provisions, not even the President has power to remove Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN from office with the wave of the hand: he has to subject his decision to the approval of at least two-thirds of members of the Senate.

“Secondly, the removal must be based on the stated constitutional reasons: “for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.

“The guiding and controlling phrases here are “inability to discharge the functions of his office” and “misconduct.” None of these reasons has been raised by the respected Sharia Council of Nigeria.

“Let me also make it clear that the phrase “or any other cause” in the provision is not at large but owes its origin to the parent phrase “for inability to discharge the functions of the office”, the statement read in part.

He added that Section 157(1) and (2) of the Constitution which deals with removal from office does not contemplate such removal being based on a prior public opinion expressed by the occupant of that office.

Meanwhile, Hon pointed out that the Senate of Nigeria is made up of a large number of Muslims, but none raised objection at all to Amupitan’s confirmation during the over two hours’ screening exercise.

He said that the sudden realisation by the Sharia Council that Amupitan had decried genocide against Christians in Nigeria by Muslim extremist, hence is not fit to occupy that office, amounts to an afterthought.

“A very dangerous precedent will also be set if this tendentious objection is accepted.

Save if the Sharia Council has any other reason to oppose the continued functioning of Prof. Amupitan as INEC Chairman, the fact that he decried genocide against Christians in Nigeria is not strong enough to make him leave office.

“All the high officers of the Federation named above presumably carried out proper investigations on his person before unanimously proposing and or confirming his appointment are not inferior Muslims.

“Besides, Prof. Amupitan has not committed any of the listed infractions that would make him lose office – as spelt out under section 157(1) and (2) of the Constitution.

“Consequently, I vehemently oppose calls for the removal from office of Prof. Amupitan as INEC Chairman. I also strongly counsel him not to succumb to this blackmail, by voluntarily resigning from that office.

“Rather, I hereby suggest to him to take this unfounded suspicion of possible bias against Muslims in the conduct of affairs of his office as a springboard that would spur him to side more with justice, fair play and neutrality, which are the basic and compulsory requirements of his office,” the statement added.