The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that its Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, is preparing to resign from office.
The commission described the allegation as false, fabricated and misleading, urging Nigerians to disregard the information and avoid spreading unverified reports.
INEC made its position known on Saturday, November 14, 2026, through a statement published on its official social media account.
The clarification comes amid growing public scrutiny of the commission’s leadership and the management of the preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s response followed the circulation of an image purporting to announce the electoral chairman’s resignation. INEC clarified that no such resignation announcement had been made and advised members of the public to rely on its official communication channels for accurate information about its leadership and activities.
The rumour emerged shortly after Amupitan faced criticism over the preliminary voters’ register and his leadership of the electoral body ahead of the 2027 elections.
The controversy also followed an incident in London, where protesters confronted the INEC chairman’s vehicle outside Chatham House after his engagement on Nigeria’s electoral preparations. The demonstrators reportedly demanded his resignation over alleged irregularities in the voters’ register.
INEC Faces Scrutiny Over Voters’ Register
On November 9, 2026, Amupitan disclosed that the commission had removed 1,608,660 invalid registrations from the preliminary voters’ register following a review of records from the 2025 and 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercises.
He also revealed that 54 individuals across 10 states had been identified over alleged registration irregularities and could face disciplinary action, including prosecution.
The commission has continued preparations for the 2027 general elections, including plans to test improvements to its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of election results.
INEC’s clarification is aimed at putting an end to speculation surrounding its chairman’s position and discouraging the spread of misinformation about the electoral body.
