By Adegboyega Adeleye
The Obidient Movement has demanded clarification from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the whereabouts and official engagements of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, following his absence from an engagement with an African Union (AU) electoral delegation in Abuja.
The movement, in a statement issued by its Media and Communications Directorate on Wednesday, raised questions after INEC identified National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, as Acting Chairman while receiving the AU Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
INEC had said Gumus represented Amupitan at the meeting with the AU delegation, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen. The mission is assessing Nigeria’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
The Obidient Movement said it was concerned that, to its knowledge, there had been no public communication explaining when or why Amupitan handed over his responsibilities to Gumus in an acting capacity.
“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.
“This raises legitimate questions about the Chairman’s current location, official schedule and the circumstances surrounding his absence,” the statement said.
The movement called on INEC to clarify where Amupitan currently is, when he left Abuja, the official purpose of his absence and who authorised his absence from the Commission’s headquarters.
It also asked the electoral body to disclose whether the chairman had travelled outside the country and, if so, the meetings or official engagements he had undertaken since his departure.
The group further asked INEC to state whether Amupitan had met or was scheduled to meet President Bola Tinubu, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), or any representative of the ruling party.
The questions, according to the movement, were necessary because of INEC’s constitutional responsibility for conducting elections and the importance of public confidence in the leadership of the electoral commission ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the INEC Chairman cannot operate in secrecy,” the statement said.
The movement also referred to what it described as Amupitan’s “antecedents and strong affection for the APC”, urging the commission to demonstrate transparency and political neutrality.
It said, “The era of the INEC Chairman having strategy meetings with the APC and the ruling party must be a thing of the past.
“Nigerians do not trust this INEC Chairman or the Commission he leads, so it behoves on him and the Commission to not only be transparent and non-partisan, but to also be seen as such.”
The Obidient Movement further said the electoral commission should not create room for speculation about its leadership’s activities, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
“It is important to reemphasise that the electoral commission belongs to the Nigerian people. Its leadership must therefore be accountable to the public and must not leave room for speculation about secret political engagements, especially given their many past antecedents and the crisis of confidence that the Commission continues to face,” it said.
The movement therefore urged INEC to publicly state Amupitan’s whereabouts and explain his official engagements.
Meanwhile, during Tuesday’s AU engagement, Gumus outlined INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to electoral integrity and neutrality. She said the Commission was preparing for an election involving a voter population approaching 100 million and a workforce exceeding 1.4 million personnel.
The AU mission, scheduled for September 13 to 19, is assessing Nigeria’s electoral preparedness, including voter registration, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, security coordination and results management.
INEC has also previously stated that it has no preferred candidate for the 2027 election, with Amupitan stressing that the Commission’s allegiance is to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the will of Nigerian voters.
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