Presidency defends INEC Chairman, says ADC leaders can’t lecture him

The Presidency has defended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, amid mounting criticism from leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said ADC leaders lack the standing to question the competence of the INEC chairman.

Ajayi’s remarks followed calls by ADC Interim National Chairman, David Mark, and other party chieftains for Amupitan to resign over alleged inability to conduct credible elections.

Reacting via a post on X, Ajayi described Amupitan as a highly accomplished legal professional, noting that he is a professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“We can all agree that the INEC chairman is at the top of his career academically and professionally,” Ajayi stated, adding that Amupitan understands legal concepts such as status quo ante bellum.

He argued that figures such as Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, and Bolaji Abdullahi were in no position to “teach” the INEC chairman his responsibilities.

Ajayi further criticised the ADC for linking its internal leadership crisis to INEC and the Presidency, describing it as “bad politics.”

“It is bad politics for ADC people to make their own internal crisis a problem of Professor Amupitan, that of President Tinubu and APC,” he said.

The statement is the latest in a series of heated exchanges between the Presidency and opposition figures following INEC’s controversial decisions regarding the ADC leadership dispute.

The ongoing war of words highlights deepening political tensions as parties continue to reposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.