The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has again called for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, accusing him of professional misconduct over the recent redeployment of the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Barrister Mutiu Agboke.
The Islamic human rights organisation said the handling of Agboke’s replacement raised concerns about neutrality and due process within the electoral body.
MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, made the demand in a statement circulated to journalists on Monday.
According to the group, Agboke was recently replaced by Mrs Toyin Babalola, a retired INEC director, under circumstances it described as questionable.
The organisation cited claims by the National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party (South-West), Mr Abayomi Arabambi, who allegedly said the Osun REC was removed following a petition written by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.
MURIC said the development suggested undue political influence in the operations of the electoral commission.
“The resident electoral commissioner of Osun State, Barrister Mutiu Agboke, was recently replaced by Mrs Toyin Babalola, a retired director of INEC,” the statement said.
“Not long afterwards, the National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party (South-West), Mr Abayomi Arabambi, revealed that he was removed due to a petition written by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State.
“MURIC is greatly disturbed by this revelation. We are worried that a referee in a football match took unilateral decision over a complaint made by one side without recourse to the linesmen or the VAR.”
The group faulted the absence of an official explanation from INEC regarding the redeployment, describing the action as “reckless, thoughtless and despotic.”
It also questioned the appointment of Mrs Babalola as replacement, alleging that she still has a pending court case despite being a retired INEC official.
“More intriguing is the fact that the woman brought in as the replacement is a retired director of INEC who still has a court case pending. Something is definitely wrong with this procedure,” Akintola stated.
The organisation demanded the reversal of Agboke’s redeployment, insisting that the action was politically motivated and did not follow due process.
MURIC further renewed its call for the removal of Professor Amupitan as INEC chairman, citing what it described as a series of controversial actions linked to him.
The group referenced allegations surrounding his alleged authorship of an “80-page Christian genocide legal brief to America,” the delisting of a political party and activities linked to a controversial X account.
“With the plethora of agitations against him over his past and present misdeeds, it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is incapable of taking independent and unbiased decisions,” the statement added.
Akintola warned that allowing Amupitan to continue leading the electoral body could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Leaving the fate of more than 220 million Nigerians in the hands of such a seemingly compromised person can be likened to leaving a fully loaded aeroplane in the hands of a carpenter who has never driven an ordinary car before,” he said.
The group concluded by urging authorities to immediately remove the INEC chairman and restore what it described as public trust in the electoral system.
