A coalition of more than 1,000 legal practitioners, operating under the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), has formally called on the Nigerian Senate to disqualify Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, from being confirmed as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a letter dated October 10, 2025, addressed to Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, ALDRAP argued that Prof. Amupitan’s previous role as Lead Counsel for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 Presidential Election Petition at the Supreme Court renders him unsuitable for the impartial position.
The group described this prior involvement as a “clear case of bias, conflict of interest, and violation of statutory codes of conduct,” emphasizing that the integrity of INEC hinges on a chairman whose impartiality is beyond question—a standard they say Amupitan fails to meet due to his political affiliations.
Signed by ALDRAP’s Administrative Secretary, Jesse Williams Amuga, the letter urged the Senate to halt any confirmation proceedings and formally notify President Bola Tinubu that the nominee “does not meet the constitutional and ethical qualifications for the office.”
The coalition referenced the Senate’s 2021 rejection of Lauretta Onochie, citing it as precedent for disqualifying nominees with overt political ties. “Prof. Amupitan’s nomination falls squarely within that standard,” the letter stated.
ALDRAP also cited Section 5 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act (1991), highlighting that the appointment would create a conflict between Prof. Amupitan’s personal interests and official duties. Additionally, they referred to Section 19 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act (2003), which prohibits leveraging prior political or professional roles for undue advantage.
The association insisted that “Having served as Lead Counsel to the APC, Prof. Amupitan cannot credibly fulfill the role of INEC Chairman, who must maintain neutrality in elections involving the APC and other political parties.”
Emphasizing Nigeria’s vast pool of over 200,000 qualified lawyers, with many unaffiliated to any political party, ALDRAP argued there are ample impartial candidates available for the post.
The group warned that should the Senate proceed with Amupitan’s confirmation, it would initiate legal action to enforce constitutional requirements of impartiality. “Take notice that if the Senate moves forward with confirming Prof. Joash Amupitan, our association will be compelled to file a lawsuit to uphold the standards of impartiality for the INEC Chairman position,” the letter concluded.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector-General of Police, and diplomatic missions from the European Union, United States, and United Kingdom in Nigeria.
