2027: Obidient movement questions INEC chairman’s whereabouts

The Obidient Movement recently demanded answers from Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the current whereabouts and official activities of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, following the appearance of National Commissioner Prof. Rhoda Gumus as Acting Chairman at a meeting with an African Union delegation in Abuja.

The movement's National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, highlighted this development as raising concerns about Amupitan's whereabouts and the reasons behind his absence from the commission's headquarters. This occurred after an INEC post on X identified Gumus as the Acting Chairman while receiving the African Union Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission to Nigeria.

Gumus, a serving National Commissioner, is listed on INEC's official website but the movement claims there was no official communication about Amupitan handing over his duties. They are asking for clarification on when and why Amupitan left Abuja, the purpose of his absence, and who authorized it. Additionally, they are seeking information on whether the chairman has traveled outside the country and the official engagements he has undertaken.

The movement also questions if Amupitan has met, or is scheduled to meet, President Bola Tinubu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, or any representative of the ruling party. They stress the importance of transparency and non-partisanship, asserting that the electoral commission belongs to Nigerians and should be accountable to the public.

As INEC prepares for the 2027 general elections, the movement calls for Amupitan's whereabouts to be made public and his official engagements to be explained.