The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove its Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, over alleged partisan conduct, gross misconduct and constitutional breaches.
The opposition party made the demand in a petition dated April 8, 2026, submitted through its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, and received at INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja at about 11:29 a.m.
In the petition, the ADC accused the INEC Chairman of compromising the neutrality of the electoral body through recent public statements and actions it described as disgraceful and unbecoming of his office.
Part of the petition read, “We write to convey our strongest condemnation of your recent actions and public statements, which have further deepened concerns about your fitness to continue in office.”
The party alleged that Amupitan had taken on the responsibility of interpreting court judgments, insisting that such powers belong solely to the judiciary.
“The interpretation of court judgments is the exclusive preserve of the Judiciary,” the petition stated.
“For the Chairman of INEC to publicly assume that role, offering partisan constructions of legal outcomes in a manner that appears to favour a particular individual, amounts to a serious constitutional breach and an affront to the doctrine of separation of powers.”
ADC further accused the electoral body, under Amupitan’s leadership, of abandoning its constitutional duty of neutrality and aligning with what it called factional interests.
The party warned that such actions could weaken public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to the petition, the dispute is connected to internal party issues, including a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where a National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved.
ADC claimed INEC’s subsequent actions and correspondence in the matter suggested bias and institutional overreach.
“It is not the role of INEC to act as a court of law or an advocate,” the party said.
“Its duty is clear: to operate strictly within the bounds of the Constitution with absolute neutrality and professionalism.”
The party warned that the alleged conduct poses a threat to Nigeria’s multi-party democracy and called for urgent steps to restore confidence in the electoral body.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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