By Tobias Ekirika
Onitsha-based legal luminary, Chief (Barr) Ben Uzuegbu (SAN), "Izuogu 111, Eziowelle" has expressed serious doubt about the disposition of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, to give Nigerians credible elections in 2027.
It would be recalled that they have been calls from Nigerians from different walks of life, urging the INEC boss to resign his position. Calls for the resignation of INEC chairman stem from alleged partisan bias, conflict of interest, and controversial commission decisions regarding political party disputes.
Critics and political parties allege that Amupitan has sympathies for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) due to his previous role as lead counsel for the party during the 2023 presidential election petition.
Pressure intensified after alleged screenshots circulated on X (formerly Twitter) showing a verified account in the chairman's name praising the APC during the 2023 elections.
Meanwhile, in an interview with newsmen in Onitsha, Chief Uzuegbu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), also lent his voice in calling for Prof. Amupitan's immediate resignation.
He said, "I must be honest to you that it is not Prof. Amupitan that I used to know that is in INEC now. I had very close relationship with him. He is top notch - but something happened to him immediately he joined INEC. He changed automatically.
"For instance, when the Appeal Court said, "Status quo ante bellum," how could Amupitan, a prominent lawyer, interpret it to mean that names of all ADC executive under David Mark should be removed from INEC portal? I'm sure Prof. Amupitan knows more than this. So, something went wrong.
"Again, when the court sacked PDP executive loyal to the FCT Minister, Wike, including the National Secretary, they went ahead to organized congresses, and the INEC boss recognized them. This is why I said it is not the Amupitan I knew that is in INEC now. Politicians are trying hard to damage the reputation that Prof. Amupitan built over the years. I am in the league of those calling for his resignation, so that he will save his reputation.
"Since he assumed office, he has not been behaving like a man who will not be impartial. No lawyer in his right senses will support the activities of Prof Amupitan (SAN) in INEC. If he continued this way, he would definitely derail the electoral system.
"As a co- Senior Advocate of Nigeria - my brother SAN - if I were him, I would throw in the towel and save my reputation. He has been supporting APC, and he once said that APC ought to be the party in power. So, if his interest is in APC, he ought not be the electoral umpire. As far as I am concerned, Amupitan has demonstarted before and even now that he is working for APC."
When asked if Nigeria could have credible elections in 2027, the legal luminary said noway!
According to him, "From the system that is on the ground, the APC is now in charge of INEC, Police, Army, and trying to make inroads into the judiciary. So, if APC could have all these, I do not see a free, fair and credible elections in 2027."