Olawepo-Hashim Demands Amupitan’s Resignation Over New Election Timetable

A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has advised the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, to resign over the recently announced timetable for the 2027 general elections.

The PDP chieftain rejected the adjusted schedule for party primaries released by INEC on Thursday, describing it as an overreach and alleging that it was structured to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olawepo-Hashim, who addressed a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said INEC does not have the authority to dictate when political parties should conduct their primaries.

“It’s not the business of INEC to dictate to parties when they should conduct nominations of candidates for elections,” he said.

“This shows that Amupitan cannot be trusted. It’s either he resigns or Nigerians will embark on mass action to force him out. He should not be allowed to stay a day longer in that office.”

He alleged that moving the primaries to an earlier date was a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition parties currently dealing with internal disputes.

“He’s deliberately working to favour the APC, having destabilised other political parties who are trying to sort out themselves in court. That is disingenuous and wrong,” he said.

Olawepo-Hashim further argued that for the 2027 elections to be free and fair, the electoral commission must be reconstituted, insisting that public confidence in the commission’s leadership is critical.

“For us to have an acceptable, free and fair election in 2027, INEC has to be reconstituted. Rushing out an ill thought out timetable after what we consider a poor performance in the Abuja Area Council election shows that the chairman cannot be entrusted with the 2027 general election.”

He warned against conducting elections whose outcomes, in his view, could become predictable, describing such a scenario as unjust to taxpayers.

The former presidential aspirant maintained that primaries are internal affairs of political parties, provided they comply with the Electoral Act’s nomination deadlines.

“INEC is not a headmaster that can impose what it wants on political parties. As long as parties comply with the Electoral Act regarding submission timelines, they have the right to determine when to hold their primaries,” he stated.