Labour Party Challenges New INEC Chairman Prof. Amupitan to Restore Credibility and End Legacy of Betrayal in Nigeria’s Elections
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The Labour Party (LP) has issued a bold and uncompromising message to the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), urging him to rescue Nigeria’s electoral system from what it described as “the ruins of betrayal, fraud, and national despair” left behind by his predecessor, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
In a hard-hitting statement signed by Prince Tony Akeni, the National Publicity Secretary (Interim) of the Labour Party, and made available to Abuja Business Reports on Friday, October 10, 2025, the party said the appointment of Prof. Amupitan presents a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy — to either reclaim its dignity or plunge deeper into electoral disrepute.
“Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan has a fate larger than life thrust at his feet — to either redeem the largest democracy in Africa or further mutilate and bury its corpse which the ballot master-liar of all time, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has left behind as INEC chairman,” the statement declared.
A Moment of Truth for Nigeria’s Electoral Leadership
The Labour Party cautioned that beyond the glamour and perks of office, the new INEC Chairman faces a moral test that will define both his personal legacy and Nigeria’s democratic history. According to the party, Prof. Amupitan must “choose whom to serve” — the Nigerian people or the political establishment that appointed him.
“He must choose whether to be honoured by more than 230 million Nigerians who employed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or to serve the unconstitutional wishes of one man — Tinubu — who appointed him,” the statement stressed.
The party urged Prof. Amupitan to learn from history and reflect on how his predecessor will be remembered by Nigerians — not as a reformer but as the man who, in the eyes of millions, “dealt the final blow” to electoral credibility in Africa’s largest democracy.
From Iwu to Jega to Mahmood: A Troubled INEC Legacy
Tracing the trajectory of Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Labour Party lamented that each successive INEC chairman has deepened the distrust between Nigerians and the ballot box. From Prof. Maurice Iwu’s controversial tenure under President Olusegun Obasanjo, to Prof. Attahiru Jega’s embattled reforms during the Goodluck Jonathan era, and finally to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure under Presidents Buhari and Tinubu, the LP said the institution has suffered an irreversible loss of credibility.
“Before Mahmood’s tenures as INEC chairman, Nigerians merely lamented if their votes would count, but with some hope. However, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood buried that hope and made it a proverb of despair set in concrete,” Akeni stated.
The party accused Prof. Yakubu of overseeing what it called “the most discredited election in Nigeria’s history” in 2023, alleging manipulation, irregularities, and betrayal of public trust.
The 2023 Election and the “Great Betrayal”
According to the Labour Party, Prof. Yakubu’s administration of the 2023 general elections was “a colossal moral failure,” citing his public assurances that results would be transmitted in real time from polling units via the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal — a promise that was later broken.
“Only to brazenly take the opposite stand against the promised process, dismissing BVAS results as non-compulsory and accepting mutilated result sheets,” the statement read.
“He and his returning commissioners then stood by those frauds at the election tribunals and declared concocted results against the actual victory of the Labour Party,” he added.
The LP further alleged that Yakubu’s INEC “engineered” statistical manipulations in voter registration to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of future elections, citing an improbable record of 393,269 new voters in Osun State alone — compared to fewer than 2,000 across the five South-East states combined.
INEC and the Sabotage of Labour Party
Beyond election irregularities, the Labour Party accused the former INEC chairman of a “systematic campaign of institutional sabotage” targeted at the party’s operations and internal administration.
The statement claimed that Yakubu unlawfully delisted LP candidates from participating in crucial local government elections and deliberately ignored Supreme Court rulings affirming the end of the Julius Abure-led faction of the party.
“Mahmood clinically sabotaged the Labour Party by unlawfully delisting our candidates in 2025 and 2026 elections, while retaining the defunct Abure-led council on INEC’s portal despite clear Supreme Court and Federal High Court judgments,” the statement emphasized.
A First Test for Prof. Amupitan
As a matter of urgency, the Labour Party called on Prof. Amupitan to correct these alleged injustices by recognizing and uploading the Nenadi Usman-led executive council of the Labour Party as the legitimate leadership in line with judicial pronouncements and the party’s National Executive Council resolutions.
“The first all-important litmus test that Prof. Amupitan must pass to prove he came to serve Nigeria is to remove the Abure-led council from INEC’s portal and replace it with the Nenadi Usman-led council,” said Akeni.
The statement noted that this single action will determine whether Prof. Amupitan intends to “serve the people or serve power,” as Nigerians and the international community are watching his every move.
Global Expectations and Nigeria’s Democratic Image
Highlighting the global significance of Nigeria’s electoral process, the Labour Party reminded the new INEC boss that his conduct will not only shape domestic political confidence but also influence international perceptions of Nigeria’s democracy.
“Amupitan must realize that he is not only on the radar of Nigerians but of the entire civilized world — from the West to emerging democracies — which look to Nigeria for good or bad examples,” the LP warned.
It urged the new INEC chairman to act as a “true umpire of conscience” who would rebuild public trust, not another “electoral vampire” serving political incumbents and “ballot moneybags” at the expense of the people’s will.
Between Redemption and Repetition
Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), constitutional law expert, and former Dean of Law at the University of Jos, was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in early October 2025. His appointment came amid intense national debate over electoral reform, transparency, and the future of democratic governance in Nigeria.
While many observers have praised his academic credentials and reputation for integrity, opposition parties and civil society organizations have urged him to prioritize credibility over convenience.
For the Labour Party, this moment marks a defining test of faith for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The choice is clear,” Akeni concluded. “Prof. Amupitan can either redeem INEC or repeat history. Time will tell whether he will be remembered as Nigeria’s redeemer or as another hope betrayed.”
