Nigerians Protest Against INEC Chairman Amupitan at Chatham House, Demand Resignation

Nigerians in the United Kingdom on Thursday staged a protest against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, during his visit to Chatham House in London.

The protesters reportedly surrounded the vehicle conveying the INEC chairman outside the London-based policy institute, chanting slogans and demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in the country’s preliminary voter register.

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The demonstrators, reportedly members of the Nigerian diaspora, accused the electoral commission of failing to address concerns surrounding the credibility of the voter registration process.

Their allegations included claims of duplicate voter entries, the use of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and the inclusion of fake polling units in the preliminary voter register.

Some protesters also reportedly described INEC as a “criminal organisation” while calling on Amupitan to step down.

Protesters Raise Concerns Over Voter Register

The demonstration took place as Amupitan arrived at Chatham House to participate in a discussion on Nigeria’s electoral process and preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The protesters expressed concerns about the integrity of the electoral register, arguing that alleged irregularities could undermine public confidence in future elections.

They demanded greater transparency and accountability from INEC, insisting that the commission must address the reported concerns before the next general election.

Amupitan Admits 2023 Election Damaged Public Confidence

Speaking during the engagement organised by the Kimpact Development Initiative, Amupitan acknowledged that technical glitches recorded during the 2023 general election had significantly affected public confidence in INEC.

He said the commission was still working to rebuild Nigerians’ trust in the electoral process.

“The 2023 general election significantly affected public confidence in INEC, and the commission is still working to rebuild the trust of Nigerians,” he said.

INEC Chairman Promises Improved Electoral Process in 2027

Despite the concerns raised by the protesters, Amupitan urged Nigerians to have confidence in his leadership, assuring them that INEC was committed to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027.

He also disclosed that the commission had introduced measures to prevent inaccurate polling unit results from appearing on its INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the next general elections.

The INEC chairman’s remarks come amid growing public scrutiny of the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 elections, particularly regarding electronic transmission of results, voter registration and transparency.

The protest in London highlights the challenges facing the electoral body as it seeks to rebuild public confidence following controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections.

With preparations for 2027 gathering attention, INEC is expected to face increasing demands from Nigerians at home and abroad to demonstrate transparency, accountability and credibility in the electoral process.