The Independent National Electoral Commission has debunked reports circulating on social media that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, is planning to resign.
The commission described the report, which was shared alongside an image online, as false and misleading.
INEC clarified its position in a statement published on its official X account on Saturday, urging Nigerians to disregard the claim and refrain from spreading unverified information.
“The claim is false, fabricated and misleading,” the commission stated.
It also advised members of the public to obtain accurate information about its activities through its official communication channels.
The rumour comes amid growing public criticism of Amupitan’s leadership, particularly over concerns surrounding the preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
On November 9, the INEC chairman announced that the commission had identified and removed 1,608,660 invalid registrations from the preliminary register following a review of records from the 2025 and 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercises.
He further disclosed that 54 individuals in 10 states had been identified over alleged registration irregularities and could face disciplinary measures, including prosecution.
The development followed complaints about suspected multiple registrations, questionable voter photographs and other inconsistencies in the register.
Amupitan also faced protests in London on Thursday, when demonstrators confronted his vehicle outside Chatham House, demanding his resignation over alleged shortcomings in the voters’ register.
The protest occurred after he participated in a discussion on Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the event, the INEC chairman acknowledged that controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections had significantly weakened public confidence in the electoral body.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians to support his leadership, assuring them that the commission was implementing measures to address previous challenges and improve future elections.
Amupitan also announced that INEC would conduct a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise on November 28 to assess improvements to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the electronic transmission of election results.
He said additional technical safeguards had 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.
