The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has threatened to escalate civil disobedience across the country until the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joseph Amupitan, resigns over allegations of partisanship and misconduct.
The party’s latest outburst comes amid a deepening leadership crisis within the ADC, worsened by INEC’s recent decision to delist key figures, including its National Chairman, David Mark, from its official records, a move that has sparked protests and counter-claims among rival factions within the party.
In a statement on Saturday night, the ADC described as “disturbing” revelations linking a pro-Bola Ahmed Tinubu social media post from 2023 to the INEC chairman, alleging that the development raises serious concerns about his neutrality.
“In a democracy, the umpire must be above suspicion. He must not only be independent, he must be seen, beyond any reasonable doubt, to be independent,” the party stated, adding that the alleged attempt to erase digital records tied to the post amounted to “a calculated assault on truth and accountability.”
The ADC argued that Prof. Amupitan’s continued stay in office undermines public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system, insisting that “a man who manipulates records to save himself cannot be trusted to safeguard the mandate of millions.”
The party further likened the situation to “a referee wearing the jersey of one of the teams,” stressing that such conduct falls far below the standard expected of an electoral umpire.
The crisis has been compounded by INEC’s controversial delisting of the Mark-led leadership, a development that has triggered protests by party loyalists and intensified factional disputes within the ADC. Supporters of the embattled leadership have accused the electoral body of interference in the internal affairs of the party, while rival groups continue to press competing claims to legitimacy.
Against this backdrop, the ADC warned that it would not back down in its demand for accountability, declaring its intention to intensify protests nationwide.
“This is why Professor Amupitan must resign now. Anything less is an insult to the Nigerian people and a dangerous precedent for our democracy,” the statement said.
The party also disclosed plans to escalate the matter beyond Nigeria, noting that it would update its petitions to relevant institutions, including foreign governments and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
As tensions continue to rise, political observers warn that the unfolding dispute could have wider implications for Nigeria’s electoral credibility ahead of future polls, particularly as opposition parties grapple with internal divisions and growing mistrust of electoral institutions.
