The Independent National Electoral Commission has explained the absence of its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, from Abuja, saying he is currently away on an official assignment and has the authority to delegate his responsibilities to any National Commissioner.
INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, gave the clarification on Wednesday in response to concerns raised by the Obidient Movement over the whereabouts of the commission’s Chairman.
Eta-Messi said Amupitan was on an official assignment outside Abuja and had delegated his responsibilities in line with his powers as INEC Chairman.
The clarification followed concerns from the Obidient Movement after National Commissioner, Professor 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, Yunusa Tanko, questioned why INEC had not publicly announced Amupitan’s handover to Gumus or explained the circumstances surrounding his absence.
Tanko also asked the commission to clarify whether the Chairman had travelled outside Nigeria and, if so, provide details of his official engagements.
He said transparency was important given INEC’s constitutional responsibility for conducting elections and the growing preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman Engages Global Technology StakeholdersChecks on INEC’s official social media platforms showed that Amupitan had recently participated in official engagements outside Nigeria.
The Chairman was pictured in Ottawa, Canada, where he met Google Global Lead for Civic Responsibility, David J. Lopez, alongside INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections.
Amupitan also held strategic partnership meetings with senior officials of Microsoft and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, focusing on emerging technologies, cybersecurity and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in electoral processes.
He also addressed the AI conference, sharing Nigeria’s experience in developing responsible artificial intelligence practices for electoral administration.
INEC Official Dismisses Concerns Over Chairman’s Absence
An INEC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the concerns over Amupitan’s absence as unnecessary, stressing that the Chairman was not required to remain physically in Abuja to perform his duties.
The official said Amupitan was attending a conference and had participated in official meetings and delivered an address as part of his engagements.
The development comes amid increased public scrutiny of INEC as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections, with stakeholders closely monitoring the commission’s activities and leadership.
