National Coordinator of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Comrade Jamilu Charanchi, has expressed grave concern over the controversy trailing the breach of data at the disposal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by an Aide to the FCT Minister.
Comrade Charanchi, who spoke during an exclusive interview with Nigerian Tribune, also frowned at the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the 30 May 2026 deadline issued to political parties on the conduct of party primaries.
He said, ‘We are conversant with the controversy surrounding the Independent National Electoral Commission’s insistence that political parties must comply with its May 30 deadline for primaries.
But first, as law-abiding citizens and stakeholders in the democratic process, we believe that once a court of law has delivered a judgement, such judgement deserves respect and compliance pending the outcome of any appeal. It is up to parties in the case to challenge the ruling at a higher court.
‘But this issue once again exposes the deep flaws and contradictions deliberately embedded in the Electoral Act by lawmakers whose primary concern has never been the protection of democracy but the manipulation of political processes for selfish interests.
‘It is disgraceful that the National Assembly continues to produce vague and crisis-prone electoral provisions that repeatedly drag us into avoidable legal confusion ahead of every election cycle.
‘It’s also sad that the Tinubu-led administration appears comfortable backing INEC’s increasingly controversial positions instead of reassuring Nigerians about neutrality, fairness and its independence. Democracy cannot thrive if INEC becomes an extension of the ruling party rather than a neutral arbiter of the people’s mandate,’ Comrade Charanchi said.
While expressing concern over recurring controversies trailing the Commission’s integrity, Comrade Charanchi lamented the erosion of public confidence in the Commission.
Worried by the development, he urged the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to resign, stressing that his neutrality is openly questioned by large sections of the population.
He said, ‘On the issue of INEC itself, we must state clearly and without ambiguity that public confidence in the commission and its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has waned almost completely. Across Nigeria, among civil society groups, observers, stakeholders and ordinary citizens, there is now a widespread perception that the current leadership of INEC has become overtly partisan and incapable of serving as a neutral umpire.
‘INEC conducts many recent happenings in the electoral processes; the inconsistencies in policy decisions, the poor management of public expectations and the controversial breach of data at its disposal, allegedly by an Aide to the FCT Minister, have severely damaged the credibility of the institution. Nigerians deserve an electoral body that inspires trust, not suspicion.
‘If Prof. Amupitan still has any remnant of integrity and commitment to democratic credibility, he should honourably vacate his position. The office of the INEC Chairman is too sensitive to be occupied by someone whose neutrality is openly questioned by large sections of the population.
Democracy survives on public confidence. Once citizens lose faith in the electoral referee, the entire democratic process becomes endangered,’ Comrade Charanchi stressed.
While calling for the restoration of confidence in INEC and the breach of data in the electoral system, the CNG leader maintained that Nigerians ‘cannot continue approaching every election cycle under clouds of distrust, controversy and avoidable legal disputes.
‘The future of our democracy depends on rebuilding credibility, transparency and public confidence in the institutions responsible for managing elections by people of the highest integrity, which Amupitan is lacking,’ he noted.