Image also shared by Nigerians calling for the resignation of INEC chairman Amupitan
The heat on Nigerian politics on social media right now is high , and if you’ve been on X (formerly Twitter) lately, you would have come across #AmupitanMustResign trending. Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, was appointed as INEC chairman on October 2025, but Nigerians, especially the youth, have passed judgement based on the handwritting on the wall.
Here are why Nigerians are currently calling for immediate resignation:
The “Secret” Twitter Account Scandal
The biggest spark for this fire was the alleged discovery of a partisan X account linked to Prof. Amupitan, in essense, an election referee wearing APC colours. Reports surfaced claiming that forensic AI evidence tied the Chairman to an account that had been actively posting pro-APC content and “Victory Is Sure” tweets.
In one tweet, the suspected account was rejoicing over delivering 7/10 constituencies to APC, in an Igbo dominated community.
While INEC has officially denied these links, the digital footprint, specifically a deleted tweet that surfaced via X archives made people believe the umpire itself is actually playing for one of the teams.
I can sayfor sure that in any where, once that bias appears, it is hard to clean off.
Alleged Partisanship & The “APC Loyalty” Tag
Asides the secret Twitter account, civil society groups like HURIWA have been vocal about Amupitan’s alleged history with the ruling APC party. There are claims that his appointment by President Tinubu was a strategic move to ensure a “friendly” commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
The argument from the streets is simple: How can a man who allegedly has “secret loyalty” to the APC conduct a free and fair election?
The Integrity Gap
Professor Amupitan is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), so his credentials are not the issue. It’s his neutrality. Nigerians are still feeling the “trauma” of previous elections. The people also have the belief that the court has been “bought over”, hence there is zero tolerance for anything that looks like a conflict of interest. The demand for his resignation is essentially a demand for a “total outsider” who has no political affiliation.
The “Early” 2027 Timetable
Interestingly, Amupitan recently released the timetable for the 2027 General Elections (in February 2026). While being proactive is usually good, some critics see this as a “distraction” or a move to solidify his hold on the commission before the current scandals could force him out.
Pressure from the Opposition
As usual, the opposition parties are fueling the fire. They are pointing to the alleged “forensic evidence” of his social media activity as a sign that the 2027 elections is prone to rigging.” For many Nigerians, the call for his resignation is a “pre-emptive strike” to save the next election cycle and “go to court mandate” before it even happens.
