INEC clarifies Amupitan’s resignation rumour, reveals what happened

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted claims that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, intends to resign from his position. The commission denounced the report, which surfaced on social media alongside an image, as false and misleading. A statement posted on INEC’s official X account on Saturday emphasized that Nigerians should ignore the claim and avoid disseminating unverified information.

The commission urged the public to trust only its official communication channels for accurate details about its operations and leadership.

The clarification follows heightened scrutiny of Amupitan’s tenure following disputes over the preliminary voters register prior to the 2027 general elections. On November 9, Amupitan announced that the commission had eliminated 1,608,660 invalid registrations from the preliminary voters register after reviewing entries from the 2025 and 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercises.

He further disclosed that 54 individuals from 10 states were identified for alleged registration irregularities and may face disciplinary measures, including prosecution.

This controversy prompted Amupitan’s visit to London, where demonstrators protested outside Chatham House, calling for his resignation over reported irregularities in the voters register. At a meeting at Chatham House, Amupitan acknowledged that the controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections had severely eroded public confidence in the electoral commission.

Nevertheless, he urged Nigerians to trust his leadership, promising that new measures would address past shortcomings and enhance the credibility of future elections. Additionally, Amupitan announced plans for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise on November 28 to evaluate upgrades to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2027 general elections.