INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan
- Lawyer alleges political sponsorship of protest against Amupitan in London
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed a viral social media report claiming that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, is set to resign, describing it as false, fabricated and misleading.
The Commission urged Nigerians to disregard the report, which was circulated alongside an image purportedly announcing Amupitan’s resignation, and avoid sharing unverified information. In a statement posted on its official X handle, INEC said the claim was entirely false and advised members of the public to rely on its official communication channels for accurate information about its activities and leadership.
The Commission said: “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a misleading image circulating on social media alleging that the INEC Chairman is set to resign. “The claim is FALSE, FABRICATED AND MISLEADING.
Members of the public are urged to disregard the fabricated report, refrain from sharing unverified information and rely solely on INEC’s official communication channels for authentic information.
Stop the spread of fake news.”
The clarification comes amid heightened public attention on the Commission as it intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections. INEC also urged Nigerians to support efforts to curb misinformation by verifying reports before sharing them across social media platforms.
Meanwhile, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian lawyer, Otunba Dayo Babalola, has dismissed claims that protesters who confronted Amupitan outside Chatham House in London represented Nigerians in the diaspora.
Babalola, who said he was physically present at the event on Thursday, described the demonstrators as a small group of between 10 and 15 people, insisting that their actions should not be interpreted as the position of the wider Nigerian community in the United Kingdom.
In a statement in Abuja, the lawyer said reports and videos circulating on social media had created a misleading impression of the incident, particularly suggestions that the protesters represented Nigerians living abroad.
He alleged that a chieftain of one of the major political parties participating in the 2027 general election paid the protesters to stage the demonstration against the INEC chairman.
“Diaspora Nigerians? Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said.
According to Babalola, the protest took place after the official Chatham House engagement and should not be confused with the proceedings at the event, which focused on Nigeria’s democratic future and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The Guardian
