The Country Director of Actionaid Nigeria, Dr Andrew Mamedu has called on the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan to resign or be sacked by President Bola Tinubu.
Mamedu said this has become necessary given the credibilty question hanging over the head of Amupitan over allegations of being sentimentally attached to the All Progressives Congress.
He argued that perception is critical in very important exercise like elections and if the electoral umpire is perceived to be biased even before the kick off of the exercise, then the credibility of the elections has been rubbish
According to him,”Screenshots have emerged and are now widely circulating, showing @Professor Joash Amupitan actively engaging in partisan political conversations before his appointment as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. In one instance, he responds in support of an APC-aligned narrative and states that “victory is sure”.
The response from @inecnigeria claiming the account is not his, in the face of mounting digital evidence, raises more questions about his integrity than answers.
Even if this was done in a personal capacity as a private citizen before his appointment, and even though individuals are entitled to political opinions, the reality is that these actions occurred in the very immediate political environment of the 2023 general elections. That proximity is exactly why Nigerians now struggle with the perception of neutrality.
If the person entrusted with the electoral system is now facing credible and widely circulated evidence of past partisan alignment, then President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT must do the honourable thing – REPLACE HIM!
Nigerians expect the National Assembly @NGRSenate @HouseNGR to interrogate this issue openly and decisively, and not deploy its usual pattern of rubber-stamping and avoidance.
Prof. Joash Amupitan, the office you occupy demands unquestionable neutrality, and while past private political expression may exist, the standard for this role is not just actual neutrality but perceived neutrality. That perception has now been seriously damaged. Hence, now is the time for you to do the needful – RESIGN!
While I applaud the various religious leaders who have been speaking up against bad governance, this is one of those times you must question justice and moral responsibility by speaking up firmly against this level of impunity and CALL ALL YOUR MEMBERS TO TAKE A STAND on the side of ACCOUNTABILITY, rather than allow all those politicians and public office holders with LYING AND DECEITFUL TONGUES take front-row seats in your places of worship.
In the face of all the evidence now before Nigerians, Prof Joash Amupitan must go.
