The INEC boss, Joash Amupitan, must truly believe that Nigerians are gullible, intellectually docile, and incapable of critical thought to parade what he shamelessly branded as an “independent investigation” into his alleged ownership of a partisan X account openly promoting the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Independent report written on INEC official letterhead paper?
What he presented was not an investigation but a contrived exercise in self-absolution, orchestrated by individuals and entities whose allegiance appears tethered to him and the very institution he leads. To dismiss such grave allegations through a process so fundamentally compromised is not only an affront to due process, it is a brazen insult to the collective intelligence and democratic consciousness of Nigerians.What he presented was not an investigation but a contrived exercise in self-absolution, orchestrated by individuals and entities whose allegiance appears tethered to him and the very institution he leads. To dismiss such grave allegations through a process so fundamentally compromised is not only an affront to due process, it is a brazen insult to the collective intelligence and democratic consciousness of Nigerians.
This is not merely about a social media account. It is about credibility, neutrality, and the sanctity of an institution entrusted with the sacred duty of safeguarding Nigeria’s electoral integrity. When the umpire begins to look like a partisan actor, democracy itself is imperilled.
By attempting to whitewash these allegations with a so called internal validation, Amupitan has exposed a troubling level of arrogance and disdain for public accountability. Nigerians are not deceived. The damage to public trust is already profound and perhaps irreparable.
Confidence in his leadership has eroded drastically, and the legitimacy of the Independent National Electoral Commission under his watch continues to hang in the balance. In any serious democracy, this level of controversy would demand immediate and decisive action.
The honourable course is clear. He must step aside.
Anything short of that would only deepen the perception that Nigeria’s electoral system is being held hostage by vested interests, with its leadership treating the nation as a theatre for manipulation rather than a republic deserving of transparency, integrity, and truth.
