The Obidient Movement has demanded immediate clarification from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the whereabouts and official engagements of its Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, amid concerns over his absence from a meeting with an African Union (AU) electoral delegation in Abuja.
The movement, in a statement issued by its Media and Communications Directorate, said questions about the chairman’s whereabouts became necessary following an INEC post on X on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, which identified National Commissioner, Professor Rhoda Gumus, as the Acting Chairman representing Amupitan at an engagement with the AU Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission.
The AU delegation, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, visited INEC headquarters in Abuja as part of its assessment of Nigeria’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections. The mission is scheduled to run from September 13 to 19, 2026.
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According to the Obidient Movement, there had been no public communication explaining when or why Amupitan handed over responsibilities to Gumus in an acting capacity.
“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,” the statement said.
The group consequently called on INEC to explain where the chairman currently is, when he left Abuja and the official purpose of his absence.
It also asked the commission to disclose who authorised his absence from its headquarters and, if he had travelled outside the country, the meetings or official engagements he had undertaken since his departure.
The movement further asked whether Amupitan had met or was scheduled to meet President Bola Tinubu, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), or any representative of the ruling party.
The questions, according to the group, were particularly important as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify and public attention focuses on the independence and credibility of the electoral commission.
The Obidient Movement also raised concerns about what it described as Amupitan’s “antecedents and strong affection for the APC,” arguing that Nigerians should have sufficient information about the activities of the head of the electoral commission.
The group said INEC should avoid circumstances that could create suspicion about its leadership, particularly at a time when political activities are increasing ahead of the 2027 elections.
It added that the electoral commission “must not operate in secrecy” and urged the leadership to demonstrate transparency and political neutrality.
The movement further argued that INEC belongs to Nigerians and that its leadership should therefore remain accountable to the public.
Meanwhile, at the AU engagement in Abuja, Gumus outlined the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections, saying the voter population was approaching 100 million, with 176,846 polling units and an expected election workforce of more than 1.4 million personnel.
She said INEC was also collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission through the Continuous Voter Registration Portal to audit, verify, and clean the voters’ register.
Gumus identified digital training for ad-hoc personnel, election-monitoring systems, countermeasures against disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes, as well as strategic communication, among areas where AU technical assistance could strengthen preparations for the elections.
The Acting Chairman reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to independence, neutrality and professionalism, saying the commission’s administrative decisions would be guided by the law and that the outcome of the 2027 elections would reflect the will of Nigerian voters.
The Obidient Movement, however, maintained that INEC should provide Nigerians with clear information about the chairman’s absence and official activities. “INEC must tell Nigerians where its chairman is and what he is doing,” the statement added.
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