ADC Reps Demand Prosecution of INEC Chairman in Nigeria’s Biggest Electoral Crisis of 2026
ADC Reps demand prosecution of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan and it is shaking Nigeria’s political landscape to its very core.
Members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have called for the immediate prosecution, not just resignation, of the INEC Chairman over a cascade of allegations including perceived pro-Tinubu bias, deliberate delisting of opposition leaders, and gross constitutional misconduct.
The development comes as the ADC Nigeria’s main opposition coalition heading into the 2027 general elections battles on multiple fronts: a hostile INEC, internal court battles, venue sabotage, and the detention of key figures including former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The Pro-Tinubu Tweet That Triggered ADC Reps to Demand Prosecution of the INEC Chairman
The crisis escalated dramatically when revelations emerged linking a 2023 pro-Bola Ahmed Tinubu social media post on X (formerly Twitter) to INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan.
The ADC described the revelation as “a grave affront to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.”
Criticism intensified further after reports surfaced alleging that digital records linked to the post were being altered or erased what the ADC described as a deliberate attempt to conceal evidence of political bias.
ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi stated the party had identified what it called “incontrovertible digital evidence” of the INEC Chairman’s partisanship.
ADC’s Formal Petition: Why Reps Are Demanding Prosecution of the INEC Chairman Amupitan
Going beyond words, the ADC filed a formal petition dated April 8, 2026, submitted through National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and received at INEC headquarters at 11:29 a.m. by National Commissioner Prof. Abdullahi Zuru.
In the strongly worded document, the ADC accused Amupitan of:
- Partisan conduct — publicly interpreting court rulings in favour of one faction
- Gross misconduct — conduct described as “disgraceful and unbecoming” of the office
- Constitutional breach — usurping the judiciary’s exclusive role of interpreting judgments
- Institutional overreach — abandoning neutrality and aligning with “factional interests”
- Erasing digital records — allegedly altering online evidence of political affiliation
The ADC stated: “It is not the role of INEC to act as a court of law or an advocate. Its duty is clear: to operate strictly within the bounds of the Constitution with absolute neutrality.”
The Delisting That Fuelled ADC Reps’ Demand to Prosecute the INEC Chairman
At the heart of the ADC’s battle with INEC is a deeply controversial decision.
On April 1, 2026, INEC removed the names of Senator David Mark (National Chairman) and Rauf Aregbesola (National Secretary) from its official online portal just weeks before the party’s national convention.
INEC justified the move as compliance with a Court of Appeal ruling directing all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the determination of a leadership dispute filed by rival ADC faction leader Nafiu Gombe.
The ADC, however, argued that INEC misinterpreted the ruling and that the correct interpretation was to maintain the records as they were before the lawsuit.
Senator Mark filed a motion on April 7 through lawyer Sulaiman Usman (SAN) demanding INEC immediately restore the names of all NWC members to its portal.
ADC Reps Demand Prosecution of INEC Chairman as Party Threatens to Escalate Civil Disobedience Nationwide
The ADC is not limiting its fight to the courtroom.
In a statement titled “Why Amupitan Must Resign Now,” the party vowed to renew and escalate civil disobedience actions across Nigeria until the INEC Chairman steps down.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Senate President David Mark, and former governor Rotimi Amaechi all participated in a peaceful protest march from Maitama Junction to the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The ADC further threatened to:
- Update petitions to foreign governments and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
- Escalate civil disobedience nationwide until Amupitan leaves office
- Pursue judicial remedies and broader civic action if demands are unmet
- Involve international institutions in monitoring Nigeria’s electoral crisis
📌 Full civil disobedience threat analysis:
Vanguard News — ADC Threatens to Renew and Escalate Civil Disobedience Until INEC Chair Resigns
INEC Fires Back: Amupitan Denies Owning X Account as ADC Reps Demand His Prosecution
INEC and its Chairman have pushed back strongly against the allegations.
Chief Press Secretary Adedayo Oketola issued a statement calling the claims “entirely baseless” and a “deliberate fabrication.”
Amupitan himself stated publicly: “I have no X account” denying ownership of the social media profile linked to the pro-Tinubu posts and warning against impersonators on digital platforms.
INEC also maintained that its decision to delist the ADC leadership was strictly in compliance with the Court of Appeal directive insisting the commission was not taking sides but simply following the law.
However, the ADC countered that if Amupitan truly had nothing to hide, there would be no reports of digital records being erased and no need to deny X account ownership so publicly questioning why an innocent man would need to make repeated public denials.
Conclusion: Is Nigeria’s 2027 Election Already Compromised? ADC Reps Demand Prosecution of INEC Chairman
The fact that ADC Reps demand prosecution of the INEC Chairman not just resignation marks a significant and alarming escalation in Nigeria’s pre-election political crisis.
If the INEC Chairman is genuinely biased, Nigeria’s 2027 elections are at serious risk of being neither free nor fair.
If the allegations are false, then the ADC is engaging in dangerous politicisation of an independent institution.
Either way, the damage to Nigeria’s democratic credibility is already being done.
What Nigeria urgently needs:
- Independent parliamentary probe into the INEC Chairman’s alleged social media activity
- Judicial clarity on who exactly the ADC leadership crisis ruling protects
- INEC transparency full disclosure of all decisions affecting political parties
- International monitoring of Nigeria’s pre-election political environment
- Protection of opposition parties from institutional harassment ahead of 2027
Nigeria’s 2027 elections are supposed to be a test of its democracy.
Right now, that test is already failing.
The whole world must pay attention.
