By George Ozalla
Leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have called for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, accusing him and some commissioners of allegedly taking positions that suggest alignment with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a development they say has raised serious doubts about the neutrality of the electoral body ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a detailed position made public by the party leadership, the ADC stated that recent actions and perceived institutional posture of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have created what it described as an unacceptable erosion of confidence in the commission’s ability to conduct elections that are free, fair and credible. The party insisted that Professor Joash Amupitan should step aside from office in order to preserve what it called the sanctity and independence of Nigeria’s electoral process, arguing that continued stay in office under prevailing political suspicion would further deepen public distrust.
The ADC leadership further alleged that both the chairman and unnamed commissioners of the electoral body have, in recent times, acted in ways that give the impression of partisanship, an allegation they said cannot be ignored given the strategic role INEC plays in sustaining democratic governance. The party maintained that Nigeria’s democracy is too fragile to accommodate any perception of bias within the electoral umpire, stressing that credibility in elections depends not only on conduct but also on public perception of fairness.
The party also announced that it would proceed with all its scheduled political programmes and internal engagements without yielding to what it described as institutional pressure or interference. According to the leadership, there is no legal requirement that mandates the presence or participation of INEC in party programmes, adding that political parties retain full autonomy to organise their activities in line with their constitutional rights. The ADC therefore declared that its programmes will continue irrespective of INEC’s involvement or absence.
On the broader political environment, the ADC called on the international community, including diplomatic missions and global democratic observers, to take note of developments within Nigeria’s electoral space, particularly referencing what it described as actions attributed to INEC on April 1st, alongside what it termed the restraint currently being exercised by opposition political actors. The party suggested that international stakeholders should pay closer attention to the evolving situation in order to ensure that democratic standards are not compromised.
The leadership further issued a warning on what it described as growing threats to multiparty democracy in Nigeria, calling on citizens to remain vigilant and actively defend democratic institutions against any attempt to weaken political competition or tilt the system toward a dominant-party structure. The party stressed that Nigeria’s democratic stability depends on the ability of all political actors to operate in a fair and balanced electoral environment, free from institutional bias or perceived manipulation.
While the statement did not list specific names of ADC leaders making the remarks, it was issued in the collective voice of the party’s leadership structure, which framed the concerns as a unified position of the African Democratic Congress. The party maintained that its stance was not driven by political convenience but by what it described as a necessary response to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of future elections.
Professor Joash Amupitan, who heads the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has recently come under heightened scrutiny from opposition parties amid rising political tension over the neutrality of electoral institutions. The ADC said its position reflects wider concerns within the political space about the need to ensure that the electoral commission remains strictly impartial and insulated from partisan influence as the country moves closer to another general election cycle.
