By Saint Mugaga

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for the removal and subsequent prosecution of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof.

Leader of the caucus, Hon. Victor Ogene, disclosed this at a media briefing shortly after their meeting at the National Assembly on Monday.

He said “The Caucus is gravely concerned about the ostensibly undemocratic actions taken by INEC, under the leadership of Prof. Amupitan, which appears to deny the ADC the opportunity to participate in the forthcoming elections. This is being achieved through the perpetuation of a leadership crisis within the party, whereby INEC has abdicated its responsibility as an impartial arbiter and instead intervened in the party’s internal affairs.

“Specifically, the commission seems to be recognizing an illegitimate leadership faction, contrary to the authentic leadership of Senator David Mark, which had previously been acknowledged and certified by INEC itself, having met the requisite criteria, as evidenced by a recent affidavit issued by the Commission”.

Continuing, Ogene said, “The Caucus raised concerns regarding the impartiality and neutrality of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, to oversee a free, fair, and credible 2027 general elections. This follows recent public statements and actions by the chairman deemed to be compromising, partisan, and conflicted.

“It has been alleged that he previously made a partisan statement on his personal X account, wherein he expressed support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Additionally, he has been accused of posting content alleging Christian genocide in Nigeria. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied that Professor Amupitan is the owner of the X account in question, digital forensic analysis and other online investigations conducted by various sources suggest that the account is indeed his, and the phone number used to create it is registered in his name. This has raised concerns regarding his transparency, integrity, and trustworthiness, particularly given the critical nature of the office he holds, which will have far-reaching implications for the nation.

“In light of these inconsistencies and concerns regarding impartiality and integrity, the House Caucus, on Monday, 13th April 2026, hereby calls for the removal of Prof. Amupitan from office and advocates for his prosecution, in order to safeguard the nation against an avoidable descent into undemocratic practices”, they demanded.

The caucus leader alleged that “The Commission, in collusion with certain elements within the judiciary, is actively working to undermine the aspirations of the ADC, thereby preventing the party from fielding candidates in the forthcoming elections, through duplicitous means that serve to obstruct inclusivity within the democratic process.

“In fact, credible information at our disposal suggests that certain individuals within the judiciary and INEC are collaborating to influence the outcome of a case coming up on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, regarding the leadership question in the ADC, potentially impacting the recognition of a discredited faction. In fact, Section 83 (5) in the Electoral Act 2026 clearly prohibits any court of law in Nigeria from entertaining any case concerning party Congresses.

“Sadly, that’s what INEC is enabling by its actions and pronouncements concerning the internal affairs of the ADC.

“But we are vigilant and have concluded plans, on behalf of the Nigerian people, to submit a petition before the National Judicial Council, NJC, to the effect that politically exposed judicial officers, as recently outlined by the NBA president, Afam Osigwe, SAN, be made to undergo investigations and possible removal from the Bench.

“As the ADC Caucus in the House of Representatives, we are compelled to act in response to the existential threat to our democracy. With critical segments of society, including the Nigerian Bar Association, civil society, media, and citizens, losing faith in the judiciary and electoral authorities, it is imperative that all Nigerians of goodwill transcend partisan divisions and prioritize rescuing our faltering democracy.

“It is indeed disheartening to observe that even during the military era, when laws often contained ouster clauses, the judiciary still boasted esteemed jurists such as the late Chukwudifu Oputa, Niki Tobi, and Kayode Eso, Mohammed Uwais, et cetera, who delivered discerning judgments despite the authoritarian regime. We can, therefore, only surmise that these revered legal luminaries would be deeply disturbed in the great beyond by the current trend of questionable judgments, contradictory interim decisions, and overt judicial overreach, which appear to emanate from the very chambers of justice that was once adorned with distinction.

“We concur with the position of the NBA president, who only days ago expressed concerns over the growing perception of judges as beneficiaries of political patronage, stating that it erodes public trust in the justice system. The NBA president had lamented the practice of politicians gifting cars to judges, suggesting it compromises their neutrality and demeans the judiciary. “It demeans the judges. It demeans the judiciary,” he said. He emphasized that judicial needs should be addressed through proper budgetary processes, allowing courts to manage their own affairs rather than relying on public display of largesse, which undermines judicial integrity and independence.

“INEC must not only be independent in name but also demonstrate impartiality, transparency, credibility, and trustworthiness in its actions. However, current public perception suggests a disconnect from these ideals”, he submitted.

By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mandate Secretary, of women Affairs secretariat, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, on Monday, said the registration of every child born in Abuja would give them the important legal identity they deserve.

The Mandate Secretary Women Affairs Secretariats stated this at the , mobilisation of residents for birth registration, through the traditional rulers in Abuja Municipal Area Council, (AMAC).

At the Palace of Sapeyi (Chief) of Garki, Alh. Usman Nga-Kupi, in Abuja, she said the exercise is meant for all children from Zero to five years.

Benjamins-Laniyi, said the social mobilisation was to ensure all children between the ages of zero to five years were registered and issued a birth certificate as a legal means of identification.

She stressed that, the move is to ensure that no child is left behind in the efforts to ensure absolute protection of all children.

She said that the birth registration campaign was being coordinated by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu across the country.

She said that the mobilisation of the traditional leaders and community members began on March 28 in Abaji Area Council and extended to the remaining five area councils of the FCT.

The mandate secretary said that the women affairs secretariat and its partners had received the blessing and cooperation of the royal fathers in the 17 Chiefdoms of the FCT.

According to her, “Through this partnership, we have taken the message of birth registration into palaces, homes, and communities across the FCT.
“Together, under the watch of our royal fathers, we are restoring the dignity of our children by ensuring that every child in the FCT is seen, counted, registered and protected.

“When a child is registered, the child is recognised; and when a child is recognised, the child can thrive,” she said.

She said that the mobilisation was being implemented with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) and National Orientation Agency.

She identified other partners as the National Identity Management Commission, FCT Primary Healthcare Board, FCT Area Council Secretariat and the Association of Local Government Employees of Nigeria.

The Director, Child Development in the secretariat, Dr Idris Attah, explained that the mobilisation was to scale up birth registration in all the nukes and crannies of the FCT.

Attah added that the move was to ensure immediate issuance of the new digital birth certificates to children between ages zero to one year and ages between ages one to five years.

According to him, the registration is free to all children under five years in the FCT.
Mr Charlse Awuna, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF, said that the social mobilization for the birth registration would ensure that every child in the FCT has a legal identity.

According to Awuna, without a birth certificate, the child is not counted as a member of the community and as a citizen of the country.

“This is in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and this is why we are partnering with FCT women affairs secretariat to ensure that all children are captured in the population database.”

Also, Alh. Sulaiman Gada, NPC Director, FCT, noted that FCT was left behind in the birth registration of children under five years and commended FCT Administration for the efforts.

Gada stressed the need to effectively use traditional structures in every community “to ensure that every child is reached, registered and issued with a birth certificate.

He advised caregivers against laminating the certificate to prevent loss of data when uploading the document but preserve and protect the legal document.

Giving his royal blessings, Nga-Kupi welcomed the development and promised to mobilise all ward, village and district heads to ensure that all children in their domain were registered.

The success of the mobilization was highlighted by the immediate registration of King David Agazor, a three-month-old infant. His mother, Uchechukwu Ikechukwu, expressed her delight at the ease of the process.

“I’ve been trying since the first day that I gave birth… but my husband has been procrastinating about it.

“”When my neighbor told me that they are giving it for free, I rushed here—even without bathing the baby—and it was just easy. I’m very happy”, she shared

By Saint Mugaga

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said he is not on X (formerly Twitter) platform.

Prof. Amupitan in a statement by his
Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, said the allegation on social media that he made a partisan post on X in 2023, was false and a fabrication.

“The commission wishes to state categorically that this allegation is entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors,” the statement added.

Prof. Amupitan stated that at no time did he engage in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity.

“This contrived X post is a desperate attempt to impugn the integrity and neutrality of the Chairman at a critical period when the commission is focused on significant electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls.

“It is a needless distraction designed to stir public distrust in the electoral umpire,” he said.

The INEC Chairman warned that cybercriminals might have been using fake social media accounts in his name to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians, disclosing that several of such fraudulent accounts had been identified and reported to security agencies in the past.

“This latest fabrication is merely a continuation of a criminal pattern aimed at exploiting the commission’s profile for illicit gains,” he said.

Prof. Amupitan stated that he is working with relevant security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track and identify the individuals or groups behind this identity theft and misinformation.

“Let it be clearly understood that the commission will ensure that these imposters face the full wrath of the law.

“Identity theft and the dissemination of deepfake or forged social media interactions are criminal offenses under the Cybercrimes Act.

“Those responsible for this mischief will be tracked and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others who believe the digital space is a safe haven for criminality,” he assured.

He urged members of the public to disregard this falsehood in its entirety, stating that the commission would continue to disseminate official information regarding it and the Chairman’s activities only through verified institutional channels and formal press statements.