Opposition politicians, opinion leaders and the electorate across the country keep warning the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan and Justices of the Supreme Court, to resist the pressure to rig the 2027 presidential election in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and dishing out judgements that will disqualify presidential candidate of the major opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) respectively, if they do not want to truncate democracy
By Udoka Ekeleme, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and its embattled Chairman, Joash Amupitan, have remained in the eye of the storm since April 2026. Amupitan has been accused of partisanship and remaining a staunch supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu even before his appointment to the INEC as its Chairman.
Amupitan’s ordeal began early April when he delisted the names of the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) citing unresolved legal issues. On April 1, 2026, INEC, in a decisive response to the leadership tussle rocking the ADC, as well as a recent Court of Appeal judgement, the Commission said it would cease to recognize National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola respectively, and would not monitor its Congresses and Convention.
The INEC decision was viewed by the ADC as a ploy to deny the party fielding candidates during the 2027 general election. Angered by the INEC decision, ADC approached the Supreme Court for further interpretation. The embattled ADC and its supporters are also suspicious of what the decision of the Supreme Court will be.
However, ADC went ahead to hold its National Convention. But responding to the INEC action, Mark accused Amupitan of partisanship and called for his resignation. At a media briefing early April, Mark said, “There is only one conclusion that Nigerians can draw from the April 1st action taken by INEC: the electoral umpire has taken sides. it can no longer be trusted. As a matter of fact, INEC has acted in contempt of the Court of Appeal and has therefore acted unlawfully.
“We demand the immediate resignation or sack of the INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan, and all the National Commissioners. We no longer have confidence in them. We are convinced that they are incapable of conducting any credible election.
“Let us also make it clear: we are proceeding with our party programmes, because there is nothing under the law that makes INEC’s attendance, a mandatory requirement. We have duly served INEC notice, and we will proceed accordingly.
“We also call on the international community to take note of INEC’s actions of April 1st, and of the restraint we are exercising today. We urge them to recognise the clear threat to Nigeria’s democracy and stability, and to hold accountable those who are undermining the integrity of the electoral process.
“We call on Nigerians to defend our democracy. This is a defining moment. Stand firm. Speak out. Participate. Resist any attempt to impose a one-party state on Nigeria. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and together, we must protect it”.
In the same vein, the ADC House of Representatives caucus had at a press conference called on Amupitan to resign from INEC because he has lost credibility. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues on Sunday, April 12, 2026, Hon. Afam Ogene cited an alleged controversial X Account belonging to Amupitan where the latter had told Tinubu in 2023 that his victory was assured.
Although Amupitan had denied the allegation, many internet experts said the X posting belonged to him.
Consequently, many citizens believe that Amupitan cannot conduct a credible election. More importantly is that many citizens believe that in a free and fair election, Tinubu cannot defeat an ADC presidential candidate.
In an interview on Arise Television last week, former vice President Atiku Abubakar said that Tinubu was not capable of defeating an ADC presidential candidate. Atiku said this was because Tinubu government has failed to meet expectations of Nigerians across key sectors, and stressed that Nigerians were already bearing the brunt of unpopular policies which have made them lose confidence in government.
Buba Galadima, a Nigerian politician and former National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), has also criticized the ruling government ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speculations and counter allegations have emerged suggesting plans by the ruling APC to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
In a recent viral video, Galadima argued that if a corpse was presented against President Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 presidential election, it would defeat the incumbent President.
In the video, Galadima said, “Even if we bring a corpse in a coffin and put him against President Tinubu, I assure you that the corpse will win”.
Responding to Atiku on Tinubu’s loss of electoral value, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had boasted that Tinubu must win a second term despite his alleged shortcomings. At an occasion of inspecting a road project in Abuja last week, Wike mocked Atiku and said he was a serial presidential election contender.
Also speaking in confidence, the Special Adviser to Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed Atiku’s submission and boasted that Tinubu would rule eight years like late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In an X post on Thursday, April 16, Onanuga blasted Atiku and insisted that Tinubu must rule for second term.
Whatever gives Tinubu’s supporters confidence in his winning the 2027 presidential election despite the suffering in the land, remains a wonder to many. These suspect that Tinubu camp may still be hoping in his winning slogan of 2023 to wit: “Grab it, snatch it and run away with it”.
Analysts alleged that the slogan may have been responsible for the glitches of the 2023 election which stopped the transmission of election results real time.
Many opinion leaders have warned that any attempt to rig the presidential election in favour of Tinubu would result in anarchy and violence.
For example, former Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, has warned that politicians must avoid desperation and focus on real issues as the country heads toward the next general elections.
Jega spoke at the 2nd International Conference organised by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of the Federal University Dutse.
He said leadership should be built on integrity, competence, and a clear plan to move the country forward.
In a lecture titled “Challenges of Nation Building in the 21st Century,” delivered on his behalf by Dr. Basiru Musa Makarfi, he warned politicians not to put personal ambition or party interests above Nigeria’s peace and unity.
He said, “As we approach another electoral cycle, politicians must abandon the ‘do-or-die’ approach and commit to democratic ideals. Elections should not be a battleground, but a process for choosing leaders of character and proven capacity.
“Nigerians must also rise to the occasion by electing credible candidates and individuals with integrity, accountability, and a demonstrable commitment to public service. Leadership is a trust, and those entrusted with it must prioritise the welfare of the people.”
Some notable Nigerians were also honoured at the event for their contributions to national development. These included former Chief of Army Staff, Yusuf Buratai; former Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba; and former Minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, among others.
Many electorate from the North west and North east, especially, have warned that the presidential election must not be manipulated in favour of any candidate. Many who spoke to this medium said that the ADC has captured the entire Northern regions, because of the insecurity ravaging the area, which means that Tinubu may not have a strong foothold in the three regions. Northern voters have vowed that they must protect their votes with their blood.
In the South east, Tinubu has also lost credibility because of Nnamdi Kanu, and may not garner the required 25 percent vote from the five states in the region.
Under this dismal atmosphere, how Tinubu will win his second term remains a mystery. But Northern youths are already agitated. They have sworn to cause anarchy in the land if their votes fail to count in 2027. A competent source told this medium that in Zamfara State, two local government chairmen were allegedly suspended because they refused to show allegiance to the ruling APC.
An INEC inside source said that one strategy that may be deployed by the electoral body to rig the presidential election will be the delay in uploading the results for up to two or three days. According to him, within this period, there will be manipulations of the polling units results that may give Tinubu the winning edge.
