NEWS
INEC Clarifies Amupitan’s Whereabouts as Obidient Movement Questions Absence Ahead of 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified the whereabouts of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, following questions raised by the Obidient Movement over his absence from the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
INEC said Amupitan is currently outside Abuja on official assignment and remains responsible for his duties, with the authority to delegate his responsibilities to any National Commissioner when necessary.
The clarification was made by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, in response to enquiries concerning the Chairman’s absence.
“The Chairman is on an official assignment outside Abuja. He can delegate powers to any National Commissioner,” Eta-Messi said.
The development followed questions from the Obidient Movement after National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, appeared in the capacity of Acting Chairman during an engagement between INEC and an African Union Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The AU delegation, led by former Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, is in Nigeria as part of an assessment of the country’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections. INEC had identified Gumus as Acting Chairman during the engagement.
Through its National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, the Obidient Movement questioned why, according to the group, there had been no public communication explaining Amupitan’s absence or the delegation of his responsibilities.
The movement also asked INEC to clarify whether the Chairman had travelled outside Nigeria and, if so, to provide details of the official engagements responsible for his absence.
“As far as the Obidient Movement and Nigerians are concerned, there was no official communication of Professor Amupitan’s handover to anyone, either in acting or substantive capacity,” the movement said.
It added that the situation raised questions about “the Chairman’s current location, official schedule and the circumstances surrounding his absence.”
Tanko said the questions were linked to the importance of transparency and public confidence in INEC, particularly as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue.
“As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the INEC Chairman cannot operate in secrecy,” he said.
However, information published through INEC’s official social media platforms indicates that Amupitan has been undertaking official engagements outside Nigeria.
One of the commission’s updates showed the Chairman in Ottawa, Canada, where he met Google Global Lead for Civic Responsibility, David J. Lopez. He was accompanied by INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode.
The engagement was held on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections, where Amupitan discussed Nigeria’s experience and lessons in institutionalising responsible artificial intelligence for electoral administration.
Prior to the Ottawa engagement, the INEC Chairman also held strategic partnership meetings with senior officials of Microsoft and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
The discussions focused on emerging technologies, cybersecurity and responsible artificial intelligence, particularly their potential application in strengthening the resilience and security of electoral processes.
The engagements come at a time when INEC is under increasing public scrutiny as political activities and preparations for the 2027 elections intensify. The commission has been working on several aspects of the electoral process, including technology, election security, political-party engagement and preparations for the next general elections.
A senior INEC official also dismissed concerns over the Chairman’s absence from Abuja, arguing that Amupitan does not have to be physically present at the commission’s headquarters to discharge his responsibilities while undertaking official assignments elsewhere.
“It is a non-issue. Must he be in Abuja to perform his duties? So, if I were to go on leave, can’t I hand over to someone until I return?” the official said.
According to the official, Amupitan was attending a conference where he delivered an address and also held other official meetings.
“The Chairman is attending a conference and even gave an address at the conference. He had some meetings too. So what is the issue? It’s just noise,” the official added.
The latest clarification provides a direct explanation for Amupitan’s absence from the Abuja headquarters, while the controversy has also renewed attention on how INEC communicates temporary delegations of authority involving its top leadership.
The commission has, meanwhile, faced other questions over its engagement of university lecturers as electoral officials following reports that more than 600 academics from public universities in Northern Nigeria publicly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
INEC had indicated that it would examine concerns surrounding lecturers who openly take partisan positions despite the commission’s established practice of engaging academics for sensitive electoral responsibilities, including returning and collation assignments.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, developments surrounding the leadership and operations of INEC are expected to continue attracting close attention from political parties, civic groups, election observers and the wider Nigerian public.