INEC Chairman Amupitan Criticized for Pro-APC Tweets

Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is under scrutiny following the resurfacing of old tweets that indicate his support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The issue was highlighted by Nigerian-American professor Farooq Kperogi, who pointed out several tweets from Amupitan's past that suggest a clear partisan alignment with the APC, particularly during the lead-up to the 2023 elections.

Notably, on March 18, 2023, Amupitan commented positively on a tweet celebrating APC's electoral success in an Igbo-dominated area, raising concerns about ethnic undertones in his political messaging. Additionally, he responded with the word "Asiwaju" to a celebratory post about Tinubu's arrival at Abuja airport, further indicating his political leanings.

Despite Amupitan's previous defense by Kperogi, the new evidence has led analysts to question his ability to maintain neutrality as INEC Chairman, which is crucial for public trust in Nigeria's electoral process. INEC's chief press secretary, Adedayo Oketola, has claimed that the questioned social media accounts are fake.