Amupitan on official assignment outside Abuja – INEC

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has explained that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, is currently away from Abuja on an official assignment, adding that he has the authority to delegate his responsibilities to any National Commissioner. The clarification was made by INEC’s Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, in response to questions raised by the Obidient Movement over the whereabouts of the Chairman. “The Chairman is on an official assignment outside Abuja. He can delegate powers to any National Commissioner,” Eta-Messi said in a short message to our corespondent via WhatsApp. The response followed a statement by the Obidient Movement on Wednesday, demanding an explanation from INEC over Amupitan’s whereabouts after National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, appeared as Acting Chairman during an engagement with an African Union delegation at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The movement, through its National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, had questioned why there was no public announcement explaining when or why Amupitan handed over his duties to Gumus. It also asked INEC to disclose whether the Chairman had travelled outside Nigeria and, if so, his official engagements. “As far as the Obidient Movement and Nigerians are concerned, there was no official communication of Professor Amupitan’s handover to anyone, either in acting or substantive capacity. “This raises legitimate questions about the Chairman’s current location, official schedule and the circumstances surrounding his absence,” the statement partly read. Tanko said the questions were necessary because of INEC’s constitutional responsibility for conducting elections and the importance of public confidence in the commission’s leadership ahead of the 2027 polls. Supreme Court dismisses Gabam’s appeal, confirms Gombe as SDP chair 2027: Abiodun urges church to back peaceful election participation 2027: Obidient movement questions INEC chairman’s whereabouts “As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the INEC Chairman cannot operate in secrecy,” he said. Checks by our correspondent on the Commission’s official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts showed that the Chairman has been engaged in activities outside the country, supporting the commission’s position that his absence from Abuja is connected with official duties. A post on Friday showed the Chairman in Ottawa, Canada, where he met with Google Global Lead, Civic Responsibility, David J. Lopez, accompanied by the Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Lawrence Bayode, on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections. Earlier on Thursday, the Chairman had held strategic partnership meetings with senior officials of Microsoft and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. The Chairman engaged Ethan Chumley, Emerging Tech and Cyber Lead, and Ariana Molina, Programme Manager, on areas of mutual interest in emerging technologies, cybersecurity and responsible artificial intelligence, particularly as they relate to strengthening the resilience and security of electoral processes. Amupitan had also addressed the AI Conference sharing Nigeria’s experience and lessons in institutionalising responsible AI for electoral administration. The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of the commission as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections. Meanwhile, another top official at INEC who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, described the Obidient Movement’s concern as “a non-issue”, stressing that the Chairman wasn’t required to be in Abuja or at the Commission to perform his duties. “It is a non-issue. Must he be in Abuja to perform his duties? So, if I were to go on leave, can’t I hand over to someone until I return? The Chairman is attending a conference and even gave an address at the conference. He had some meetings too. So what is the issue? It’s just noise,” the official said. Nathaniel Shaibu Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PUNCH with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.

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