Amupitan in the Eye of the Storm

A series of controversies has continued to trail the conduct of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, with the latest involving allegation of partisanship, which has raised concerns over the neutrality of the commission, as the 2027 general election approaches, Davidson Iriekpen writes

In the past seven weeks, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has been in the eye of the storm. Whether it’s his fixing of the 2027 election during Ramadan or his push to revalidate permanent voter cards, which many felt could potentially disenfranchise millions, or his interventions in the internal crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), all his actions and inactions are viewed with suspicions in different quarters.

Before all these, his trouble first started last year immediately after his appointment when amid the declaration of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) by the United States over genocide against Christians, his legal brief published in 2020 and entitled: ‘Nigeria’s Silent Slaughter: Genocide in Nigeria – The Implications for the International Community’, where he argued that attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen constituted a genocide against Christians and minority groups in Nigeria, surfaced.

This instantly led to a barrage of agitations for President Bola Tinubu to withdraw his nomination, and for the National Assembly to refuse his confirmation by many Muslim groups in the country who accused him of bias.

This was followed by unfounded allegations that he served on the legal team of President Tinubu or the All Progressives Party (APC), which were successfully debunked.

Currently, there is a fresh allegation linking him to alleged pro-APC activity during the 2023 general election, raising fresh questions about the neutrality of the commission ahead of the 2027 general election.

The controversy, which erupted on April 10, 2026, centred on allegations that an X account, purportedly linked to him, posted partisan content in support of the APC during the 2023 general election. 

The report stated that open-source intelligence (OSINT) traced a Yahoo email address, said to match the one listed on Amupitan’s public University of Jos CV, along with an associated phone number, to an X (formerly Twitter) account that posted “Victory is sure” in response to a March 18, 2023 tweet by Dayo Israel, then APC National Youth Leader.

Israel’s post had celebrated the APC’s success in flipping a polling unit in an “Igbo-dominated” area during the 2023 elections. Amupitan’s alleged response was presented as clear evidence of partisan alignment, in contradiction of repeated assurances that the INEC Chairman is apolitical.

Screenshots of the interaction have circulated widely, with indications that the account was subsequently renamed or taken private, further intensifying scrutiny of the alleged digital trail.

However, as soon as the allegation surfaced, INEC issued a categorical denial, describing it as “entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors.”

The commission maintained that Prof. Amupitan does not own or operate any account on X, and has remained non-partisan throughout his career. It further described the claims as part of a “malicious and coordinated campaign of calumny” aimed at undermining public confidence in the electoral body.

The electoral umpire also warned that cybercriminals often create fake accounts in the names of public officials, adding that it was working with security agencies to identify those responsible.

Despite the denial, the emergence of his alleged personal email, phone number linkages to his OPay account has significantly escalated the controversy, with opposition figures calling for his resignation.

While many have also argued that he was not the chairman of INEC when he allegedly made the tweet, others felt that the purported post was evidence of his partisanship.

However, the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) called for his immediate resignation on grounds of partisanship, stating that the allegation linking him to a pro-Tinubu tweet was not merely disturbing, but a grave affront to the integrity of the electoral system.

A statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “In a democracy, the umpire must be above suspicion. He must not only be independent, but he must be seen, beyond any reasonable doubt, to be independent. That is the minimum standard required of anyone entrusted with the sacred duty of conducting free and fair elections.

“However, more troubling is the desperate attempt to tamper with digital records, to erase evidence of his previous partisanship. This is not a trivial matter. It is a calculated assault on truth and accountability. A man who manipulates records to save himself cannot be trusted to safeguard the mandate of millions.”

But the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, however holds a different opinion. According to him, even if the account were proven to have belonged to Amupitan, it would not automatically disqualify him from holding office under the law.

 “The requirement is that at the time of appointment, you should not be a member of any political party. It does not mean you could not have been a member in the past or that you did not vote. Someone who voted in 2023 can still become INEC chairman in 2025,” he stated.

Adebayo stressed that the issue of integrity would be central if the account were confirmed to belong to the INEC chair.

But a technology expert, Gbenga Sesan, questioned INEC’s outright denial that the chairman ever operated an X account, urging deeper scrutiny. He pointed to digital archiving tools as evidence that an account bearing Amupitan’s name once existed.

The tech expert also explained that creating a social media account typically requires access to a registered email address or phone number, suggesting that such links could help establish ownership. He criticised INEC’s response, describing it as counterproductive.

 “The reality is that you cannot use someone’s email or phone number to open an account without access to verification messages sent to them. The denial by INEC falls flat, and it is unfortunate. When institutions rush to dismiss issues, they often generate more public interest,” Sesan said.

A lawyer, Comrade IG Wala, alleged that his public denial of ownership of certain digital assets could expose him to criminal liability, including perjury and abuse of state power.

The author said public space had already identified links between the account in question and Amupitan’s personal email, phone number, and an OPay account.

Wala added that banking institutions like OPay operate under strict Know Your Customer (KYC) mandates. 

According to him, if a subpoena is issued, the disclosure of the BVN and NIN used to verify that account would provide irrefutable proof of ownership.

He then cautioned against the strategy of denial, coupled with reported threats to arrest individuals drawing attention to alleged digital links, which could escalate the matter from a reputational issue into a full-blown criminal case.

As these allegations die down, Amupitan should realise that the office of the INEC Chairman is not just a public office; it is important in a democracy. This is more so in Nigeria, where elections are constantly riddled with controversies and allegations of manipulation. It is not out of place that people he was appointed to serve will continue to scrutinise his past and present records.

Therefore, he should see the numerous calls for his resignation by different groups, including opposition parties and civil society, as nothing but a demand for accountability.