The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed calls for the removal of its chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), while addressing what it described as widespread misconceptions surrounding its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise.
In a statement issued on Thursday night in Abuja and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the Commission said its attention had been drawn to “recent public statements by political actors alleging partisan bias, calling for the removal of the Chairman of the Commission on account of the decision of the Commission to obey the recent Court of Appeal Judgment.”
While acknowledging the right of stakeholders to express their views, INEC stressed that its operations and leadership structure are constitutionally protected.
“It is imperative to clarify that INEC is a creation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The appointment, tenure, and removal of the Chairman and National Commissioners are strictly governed by Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” the Commission stated.
