The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected mounting calls for the resignation or removal of its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), while also moving to clarify what it termed widespread misconceptions about its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise.
In a statement issued late Thursday in Abuja and signed by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, the Commission said it was aware of “recent public statements by political actors alleging partisan bias” and demanding the Chairman’s removal over the Commission’s decision to obey a recent Court of Appeal judgment.
INEC acknowledged the right of stakeholders to voice their opinions, but stressed that its operations and leadership structure are constitutionally protected.
“It is imperative to clarify that INEC is a creation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The appointment, tenure, and removal of the Chairman and National Commissioners are strictly governed by Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” the statement read.
The Commission further underlined the independence of its leadership, noting that “the Chairman does not hold office at the pleasure of any political party or interest group.” It warned that “any call for removal outside the established constitutional process is not only a distraction but a direct assault on the independence of the nation’s electoral umpire.”
Explaining its compliance with the recent Court of Appeal judgment, INEC said the decision was necessary to avoid a repeat of past electoral crises. The Commission stated that it acted “to avert a situation that occurred in Zamfara State and Plateau State, where elected officials were removed by election tribunals on account of disobedience of court judgments.”
The Commission also clarified that monitoring the activities of the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would amount to disobedience of the court order. It added, “It was only on the 9th of September 2025 that INEC accepted and approved David Mark’s Exco, which was seven days after the matter was filed at the Federal High Court.”
Addressing allegations that it was undermining the multi-party system, INEC dismissed such claims, pointing to its recent registration and recognition of three political parties—the Democratic Leadership Alliance, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, and the National Democratic Party. This brings the total number of active political parties in the country to 22, which the Commission said demonstrates its neutrality.
Reaffirming the binding authority of appellate court rulings, INEC cited Section 287(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which “mandates every person and authority in Nigeria not only to obey the judgment of the Court of Appeal but also to enforce such judgment.”