The Movement for Credible Elections has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to resign over allegations of partisanship, warning that he no longer commands the credibility required to oversee the 2027 general elections.
The group, which includes notable personalities such as Usman Bugaje, Femi Falana, Oby Ezekwesili, Ayuba Wabba, Pat Utomi, Bilikisu Magoro and Nkoyo Toyo, said the integrity of the electoral body must be protected.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Media Coordinator, James Ezema, the group urged Amupitan to step aside to allow for an independent investigation.
It also called on the Federal Government to set up an impartial panel comprising judicial officers, digital forensic experts and civil society representatives.
The statement read, “The integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process is at stake.
“At this critical juncture in the nation’s democratic evolution, the leadership of INEC must be beyond reproach.”
The MCE said recent developments, including alleged digital footprints linking the INEC chairman to partisan expressions sympathetic to the All Progressives Congress, had sparked a crisis of confidence.
While noting that Amupitan had denied the allegations, the group insisted that denials alone were insufficient.
“In this digital age, denial is not a defence, it is an invitation to forensic scrutiny,” the statement added.
The group warned against attempts to silence critics, describing such actions as a misuse of state power.
It noted that digital identities could be traced through systems such as BVN and NIN, as well as platform-level access logs.
According to the group, framing public scrutiny as cybercrime or threatening dissenters with arrest could further erode public trust.
Beyond the immediate allegations, the MCE raised concerns over what it described as a pattern of decisions by INEC that could undermine opposition participation.
It warned that such developments risk pushing Nigeria towards a de facto one-party state.
The group also cautioned that the controversy could attract international attention, noting that aggrieved parties might approach regional bodies such as the ECOWAS Court.
This, it said, could expose Nigeria to reputational damage and possible sanctions.
Maintaining its stance, the group said the allegations, if proven, raise serious ethical questions about the INEC chairman’s neutrality.
It added, “The only honourable course is for the INEC Chairman to step aside and allow a transparent investigation.
“Nigeria stands at a democratic crossroads. The credibility of its electoral body is central to national stability and the legitimacy of governance.”
