Zainab Abioye
The Independent National Electoral Commission has explained the absence of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, from its Abuja headquarters, saying he is away on an official assignment.
The commission also clarified that Amupitan has the authority to delegate his responsibilities to any National Commissioner while he is away.
INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, gave the clarification in response to questions raised by the Obidient Movement over the whereabouts of the electoral umpire.
“The Chairman is on an official assignment outside Abuja. He can delegate powers to any National Commissioner,” Eta-Messi said.
The development followed questions raised by the Obidient Movement after INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, appeared as Acting Chairman during an engagement with an African Union pre-election assessment delegation at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The movement, through its National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, had demanded an explanation from INEC, saying there had been no public communication on Amupitan’s absence or the circumstances surrounding the delegation of his duties.
The controversy came amid heightened public attention on the commission as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
According to reports citing INEC’s official social media platforms, Amupitan has been undertaking official engagements outside Nigeria.
A post by the commission showed the INEC chairman in Ottawa, Canada, where he met Google Global Lead for Civic Responsibility, David J. Lopez. He was accompanied by INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode.
The reported engagement formed part of discussions around responsible artificial intelligence and electoral processes.
Amupitan has also been involved in discussions with technology and electoral organisations on emerging technologies, cybersecurity and the use of responsible artificial intelligence in strengthening electoral systems, according to reports on his overseas engagements.
The Obidient Movement had argued that greater transparency was necessary, particularly because of INEC’s constitutional responsibility for conducting elections and the importance of public confidence in the electoral process.
Tanko reportedly questioned why the commission had not earlier publicly explained Amupitan’s absence or announced the delegation of his functions.
However, INEC’s latest response indicates that Amupitan remains the substantive chairman of the commission and that his absence from Abuja is connected to official duties.
The commission has not announced any change in its leadership structure, while its spokesperson’s clarification focused on the chairman’s official assignment and his authority to delegate powers to other National Commissioners.
INEC’s official website continues to identify Amupitan as the commission’s chairman and lists the 2027 general elections on its electoral calendar.
The clarification is coming as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 elections, with the commission’s published timetable putting the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 20, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on March 6, 2027.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the episode has once again placed the commission’s communication and transparency around the activities of its top officials under public scrutiny as the country moves closer to the 2027 electoral cycle.
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