The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports circulating on social media that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, is planning to resign from office.
The commission described the report, which was shared alongside an image on social media, as false, fabricated and misleading.
INEC made its position known on Saturday through a statement published on its official X account, urging Nigerians to disregard the claim and refrain from spreading unverified information.
“The claim is FALSE, FABRICATED AND MISLEADING,” the commission stated.
It advised members of the public to rely on its official communication channels for accurate information about its activities and leadership.
The denial comes amid mounting scrutiny of Amupitan’s leadership following controversies over the preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On November 9, the INEC chairman announced that the commission had removed 1,608,660 invalid registrations from the preliminary register after reviewing entries from the 2025 and 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercises.
He also disclosed that 54 individuals across 10 states had been identified over alleged registration irregularities and could face disciplinary action, including prosecution.
The controversy has also attracted protests outside Nigeria.
On Thursday, demonstrators confronted Amupitan’s vehicle outside Chatham House in London, demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in the voters’ register.
The protesters surrounded his vehicle as he left an engagement on Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 elections, with some calling on him to step out and address their concerns.
During the Chatham House discussion, Amupitan acknowledged that controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections had significantly eroded public confidence in INEC.
He, however, urged Nigerians to trust his leadership, assuring that the commission was introducing measures to address previous shortcomings and improve future elections.
The INEC chairman also announced that the commission would conduct a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise on November 28 to test upgrades to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2027 polls.
According to him, technical safeguards have also been introduced to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures suggesting over-voting from being uploaded to the commission’s Result Viewing Portal.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6.
