Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is effectively under the control of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking during the LJE News Leadership Dialogue programme on Friday, Sowore claimed that the newly appointed INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, lacks the independence required to conduct free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.
According to him, the structure of Nigeria’s electoral system makes it nearly impossible for any INEC chairman to operate without influence from the ruling government.
“It will take a miracle for Amupitan to do anything different from his predecessors because it is a systemic issue,” Sowore said.
He argued that key officials surrounding the INEC chairman — including security personnel, aides, and spokespersons — are appointed by the government in power, raising questions about the commission’s neutrality.
Sowore also noted that most resident electoral commissioners currently serving were appointed before Amupitan assumed office, further limiting his ability to independently reform the system.
The activist stressed that meaningful electoral reform cannot come solely from within the system but must be driven by citizens themselves.
He urged voters to actively protect their ballots, saying Nigerians may need to demonstrate unprecedented civic resistance to prevent election rigging.
“It may take a revolution by the ballot for Nigeria to achieve truly free and fair elections,” he stated.
When he assumed office, Amupitan pledged to rebuild public trust in INEC by improving transparency, strengthening technology for result transmission, and ensuring strict compliance with the Electoral Act.
He also assured stakeholders that the commission would remain impartial and shielded from political interference.
Sowore’s comments come amid nationwide criticism following Tinubu’s recent signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law after its passage by the National Assembly.
The bill has triggered protests, particularly over contentious provisions related to electronic transmission of election results, which sparked heated debates among lawmakers before its approval.
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