Amupitan Dismisses ADC’s Call For His Resignation, Says Its A Distraction

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash O. Amupitan, has dismissed calls for his resignation, declaring that he will not step down and describing the agitation as a distraction from the Commission’s constitutional responsibilities.

Amupitan’s position follows recent criticisms by the opposition political parties who accused the Commission of partisanship and demanded his removal over INEC’s decision to comply with a Court of Appeal judgment.

Responding in a statement issued yesterday,the Commission maintained that such calls are unconstitutional, noting that the appointment and removal of the INEC Chairman are governed strictly by Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and not subject to political pressure.

INEC explained that its actions were driven by the need to obey subsisting court orders and avoid a repeat of past incidents in states such as Zamfara and Plateau, where electoral victories were nullified due to disobedience of judicial pronouncements.

The Commission also clarified that it acted in line with a court order restraining it from monitoring the activities of a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stressing that any contrary move would have amounted to contempt of court.

On the controversy surrounding the leadership of the ADC, INEC stated that its decision to withdraw recognition of the David Mark-led faction was based on ongoing legal processes and existing court directives.

It added that it would not interfere in internal party disputes, especially as the Court of Appeal has ordered an accelerated hearing on the matter.

Amupitan further rejected claims that the Commission is undermining Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, pointing to the recent registration of new political parties as evidence of its neutrality and commitment to democratic expansion.