BREAKING: Obidient Movement demands clarification over INEC chairman’s whereabouts

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Obidient Movement, a political group aligned with the aspirations of Mr Peter Obi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to clarify the whereabouts and official engagements of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, amid concerns over his recent absence from official duties.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Media and Communications Directorate, the movement said the demand had become necessary following what it described as the chairman’s “conspicuous absence” from his official responsibilities.

The group referred to an X (formerly Twitter) post published by INEC on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, which introduced Prof. Rhoda Gumus as Acting Chairman of the Commission.

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According to the movement, Gumus represented Amupitan at an official meeting with an African Union election monitoring delegation in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Obidient Movement said it was unaware of any official communication announcing that Amupitan had handed over his responsibilities to another official, either in an acting or substantive capacity.

It said the situation raised questions about the chairman’s current location, official schedule and the circumstances surrounding his absence.

“As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the INEC Chairman cannot operate in secrecy,” the movement said.

The group alleged that Amupitan had “strong affection for the APC” and argued that Nigerians had a right to know where the head of the country’s electoral commission was, who he was meeting and what official responsibilities he was undertaking.

The movement subsequently called on INEC to publicly clarify five issues concerning the chairman’s absence.

It asked the Commission to state where Amupitan was currently, when he left Abuja and the official purpose of his absence.

It also sought clarification on who authorised his absence from the Commission’s headquarters and what meetings or engagements he had held since leaving Abuja, if he had travelled outside the country.

The group further asked whether the INEC chairman had met, or was scheduled to meet, President Bola Tinubu, the APC National Chairman or any representative of the ruling party.

The Obidient Movement said the questions were necessary because of INEC’s constitutional responsibility for conducting Nigeria’s elections and the importance of public confidence in the independence and credibility of the electoral process.

“These questions are not unreasonable. INEC is constitutionally responsible for conducting Nigeria’s elections, and the independence, transparency and credibility of its leadership have continued to be a cause of concern and are matters of urgent public interest,” the statement said.

The group urged INEC to provide clarification to prevent what it described as room for suspicion, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It also called for the electoral commission to demonstrate impartiality and transparency in its engagements with political actors.

“The electoral commission belongs to the Nigerian people. Its leadership must therefore be accountable to the public and must not leave room for speculation about secret political engagements,” the movement said.

The Obedient Movement maintained that INEC should disclose the chairman’s location and official engagements, describing the matter as one of public interest.

“INEC must tell Nigerians where its chairman is and what he is doing,” the statement said.