You Can’t Teach INEC Chair His Job’ — Presidency Fires Back at ADC Leaders

The Presidency has dismissed calls by leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, insisting that he is fully competent to discharge his duties.

 

President Bola Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the ADC leadership lacked the standing to question the INEC chairman’s understanding of the law.

 

Ajayi’s response follows demands by ADC Interim National Chairman, David Mark, alongside other party chieftains, including Rauf Aregbesola and Bolaji Abdullahi, for Amupitan’s resignation over alleged bias in handling the party’s leadership crisis.

 

Speaking via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ajayi defended the INEC boss, highlighting his academic and professional credentials.

 

“We can all agree that the INEC chairman is at the top of his career academically and professionally — a Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,” he wrote.

 

He added that Amupitan was well-versed in legal principles, including the doctrine of status quo ante bellum, which has been central to the ongoing dispute involving the ADC.

 

“Senator David Mark, Mr Peter Obi, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Mr Bolaji Abdullahi certainly can’t teach him what that Latin legal maxim means,” Ajayi stated.

 

The presidential aide further argued that the ADC’s grievances stem from its internal crisis rather than any wrongdoing by the electoral body.

 

“It is bad politics for ADC people to make their own internal crisis of choice a problem of Professor Amupitan, that of President Tinubu and the APC,” he added.

 

The exchange underscores growing tensions between the opposition party and the electoral commission, amid broader concerns over party leadership disputes and preparations for upcoming elections.