How Amupitan’s Old Tweet Stirred Fresh Controversy

Fresh controversy has erupted over alleged past social media activity linked to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan.

This follows claims that he made partisan comments in support of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections.

However, INEC has denied the allegation.

The issue, however, gained traction after US based Nigerian scholar, Farooq Kperogi, published a column alleging that archived posts from an X account bearing Amupitan’s name revealed pro APC sentiments, including expressions perceived as supportive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Kperogi, who shared excerpts of the column on his X handle, argued that the alleged posts undermine public confidence in the neutrality of the electoral umpire and called on the INEC chairman to resign.

In one of his tweets in the account whose identity has changed, Amupitan wrote, “Victory is sure!” while reacting to a post by Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader of the APC.

“Today, I rejoice not just for delivering my polling unit, but for winning 10 of the 7 polling units in my nearly Igbo dominate community where APC has NEVER won. This time, I sat with the youth of the community and forged a partnership.”

The publication immediately triggered a wave of reactions from Nigerians on social media, with opinions sharply divided over the authenticity of the claims and their implications for the credibility of the commission.

Some respondents insisted that the alleged posts, if proven, raise serious ethical concerns for the head of the country’s electoral body.

“The evidence suggesting the electoral umpire is pro APC is overwhelming. It’s an insult to our intelligence to expect people to accept such a glaring denial of the truth,” a user, Gloria O, wrote.

Another commenter, identified as Sheidu Tijani, questioned the denial, stating, “How could someone holding this kind of sensitive position be caught red handed and still denying?”

Similarly, a user, Onyekachi Akoma, called for immediate action, saying the situation had already eroded public trust.

“INEC’s actions are irredeemable. Destinies of Nigerians are at stake. Recuse yourself or resign,” he wrote.

However, others challenged the basis of the allegation, arguing that the evidence presented does not conclusively establish that the account belongs to the INEC chairman.

A user, Lamal, faulted the claim, noting that the account in question had undergone multiple username changes, raising doubts about its ownership.

“This is really a gross jump and the allegations remain unsubstantiated until otherwise proven. It is left to you to establish that the account is indeed tied to the INEC chairman,” he wrote, adding concerns about reliance on artificial intelligence tools for verification.

Another respondent, Engr Aliyu Sami, shifted attention to broader electoral reforms, calling for the implementation of recommendations from the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee to strengthen the independence of INEC leadership appointments.

While some commentators expressed skepticism about the possibility of neutrality in political appointments, others warned that the controversy could further erode confidence in the electoral process ahead of future elections.

“With previous INEC chairmen, trust issues came after elections, but this one is developing even before the polls,” another user observed.

The debate comes amid an earlier denial by INEC, which described the allegation as false and maintained that the chairman does not operate any account on X.

The commission, in a statement by Adedayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, also warned of the activities of impersonators and cybercriminals using fake identities to spread misinformation.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections, urging the public to rely only on its verified communication channels.(Daily trust)