The head of Nigeria’s electoral commission has dismissed calls for his resignation as a “direct assault” on the independence of the office, as a bitter legal dispute with a major opposition party threatens to boil over.

In a robust statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) defended its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, following accusations of partisan bias. The row centres on INEC’s decision to de-recognise the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a move the party claims is a “calculated plot” to create a one-party state.

The Chairman’s spokesperson, Adedayo Oketola, insisted that the Chairman does not hold office at the “pleasure of any political party” and that any attempt to force him out would violate the Nigerian Constitution.

The ‘Shadow of Zamfara’

At the heart of the crisis is a complex legal ruling known as status quo ante bellum—a court order to return matters to how they were before the dispute began. INEC argues that if it ignores this order and allows the current ADC leadership to hold its planned convention, it risks a “catastrophic” legal collapse.

The commission cited previous electoral disasters in Zamfara and Plateau states, where entire slates of elected officials were sacked by courts because their internal party processes had “disobeyed” judicial orders.

“The Commission decided to comply… to avert a situation where elected officials are removed on account of disobedience,” the statement read. INEC maintains that it is a “neutral regulator, not a participant in political competition.”

‘Voter Revalidation’ sparks fresh fears

Adding to the tension is a planned nationwide Voter Revalidation exercise. Opposition figures have raised alarms that the audit could be used to “purge” certain demographics or regions from the national register.

INEC has dismissed these fears as “politicisation,” clarifying that:

• Digital Audit: The exercise is a professional necessity to clean data spanning from 2011 to 2024.
• Deceased Voters: The aim is to remove “ghost voters” and multiple registrations.
• Not a Fresh Start: It is an administrative audit of the existing 13-year-old database, not a new registration drive.

Analysis: A ‘Surgical’ Test in Ekiti and Osun

Despite the noise in Abuja, the real test for Professor Amupitan’s “surgical precision” will come in just two months. The Ekiti (June 2026) and Osun (August 2026) “off-cycle” governorship elections will be the first time this new-look commission is tested under fire.

By pointing to the recent registration of three new political parties—bringing the total to 22—INEC is attempting to prove that the “one-party state” narrative is a myth.

However, in a country where the “electoral umpire” is often viewed with deep suspicion, Professor Amupitan finds himself in a delicate position. He must prove that his strict adherence to “the rule of law” is a genuine shield for democracy, and not, as his critics claim, a sword being used to sideline the government’s most potent rivals.