Opposition political parties in Nigeria on Saturday has said in Ibadan that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, should not conduct the 2027 general elections, pointing to loss of public trust and alleged bias.
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The parties made this known in a communiqué issued at the end of their National Summit held in Ibadan and signed by chairmen of participating opposition parties.
The opposition parties said they had resolved to act together to address what they called “collective threats” facing Nigeria.
They accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of actions that could weaken democracy and push the country towards a one-party system.
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On the role of the electoral body, the parties stated clearly that Prof. Amupitan should not oversee the next general elections.
They said, “The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, having shown bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling APC, should not conduct the 2027 general elections as Nigerians across board have lost confidence in him and his capacity to guarantee the required neutrality to deliver free, fair, transparent and credible elections.”
They added, “His continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering wide spread crisis in our nation.”
The parties also said they would resist any attempt to impose a one-party state in Nigeria.
They stated that they would field candidates in the 2027 presidential and other elections despite what they described as pressure from the ruling party.
In a major political move, the opposition parties said they would work towards presenting one joint presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
They said such a candidate would be agreed upon and supported by all participating parties.
The communiqué also called on the National Assembly to review the Electoral Act 2026. The parties said some sections of the law could affect the credibility of elections and should be removed.
They further demanded the immediate release of politicians who are in detention for bailable offences, noting that such individuals should be allowed to take part in the political process.
The parties criticised recent guidelines released by INEC. They described the guidelines as obstacles meant to limit opposition activities.
They demanded that the commission extend the deadline for party primaries to the end of July 2026.
