The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, may be facing subtle integrity test after the allegations of Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, that there were pressure from the President and the judiciary on him to delete the names of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, leaders from the Portal of the Commission, ending their recognition by the INEC.

Besides the allegations of Odinkalu, a renowned legal practitioner, Femi Falana, SAN, had also asserted that the INEC misinterpreted the judgment of the Court of Appeal. This and other responses to INEC's derecognition of the ADC leadership, increase the burden of probity, neutrality, and unbiased umpire on the INEC chairman.

Odinkalu, like Falana, faulted INEC on interpretation of court judgements on the African Democratic Congress, ADC, leadership crisis.

Odinkalu, a Professor of Law and social advocate, alleged that INEC's action last Thursday occurred 60 hours after a meeting of senior leaders of the Commission, Nigerian President, the Court of Appeal, and the Federal High Court.

Odinkalu, had on his X handle declared, “This release by @inecnigeria followed a meeting involving senior leaders of the Commission, & @NGRPresident, @CourtOfAppealNG, @FederalHigh in the last 60 hours.

“I have it on the most impeccable authority that there is a pre-signed resignation letter by Chairman (Professor Joash) Amupitan (INEC chairman).

“It was a pre-condition for his appointment. Ultimately, that had to be called in aid by those who persuaded him to issue this release.

“The threat of releasing it did the magic. It should be evident to a professor of law & #SAN that it is not the business of @inecnigeria to interpret the decision of the Court of Appeal.

“If they had any doubt, an #INEC governed by good faith should have gone back to the Court of Appeal to secure an interpretation of the decision.

“But that is not where we are now. The country stares down a barrel & only those willing to enable that, make peace with it, or dare it will be able to sniff the stakes in #NigeriaDecides2027.”

The INEC chairman has remained silence on the alleged pre-signed resignation letter; the meeting 60 hours before the controversial decision last Thursday.

Th fear is that if they are real, they may constitute potential danger to the 2027 general elections. The transparency and credibility of the elections would have been compromised.
Apparently, the trust deficit and loss of confidence on the INEC may be on the increase, deepening mutual distrust and suspicion.