INEC Chairman Amupitan Confronted by Protesters in London

Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), faced protests from Nigerians in London who demanded his resignation, accusing INEC of compromising its independence in favor of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The confrontation occurred after Amupitan participated in a panel discussion titled “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.” During the discussion, he stated that INEC is constitutionally obligated to follow court rulings regarding the eligibility of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election.

Amupitan highlighted that INEC is currently dealing with over 300 pending court cases, which pose logistical challenges as elections approach in January 2027. He expressed concern that late judicial reversals complicate the commission's preparations and advocated for electoral reforms to resolve disputes well before election day.