Nigeria’s Opposition Political Parties, at a crucial National Summit on Saturday April 25, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital passed a vote of no confidence on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan.
In a communique emanating from the Summit, the opposition parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Labour Party (LP) and others, accused the INEC Chairman of having shown bias and partisanship in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
They insisted that Professor Joash Amupitan 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.
“His continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering wide spread crisis in our nation.”
They called on the National Assembly to immediately review the Electoral Act, 2026 to remove all sections that threaten the sanctity and integrity of the elections and run counter to constitutional provisions.
Text of the communique is reproduced hereunder:
IBADAN DECLARATION
Communiqué issued at the end of Opposition Political Parties National Summit held on Saturday April 25, 2026 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Participating Opposition Parties in Nigeria, after an extensive deliberation on the collective threats that we face and the existential challenges facing our country under the stranglehold of the oppressive and anti-democratic All Progressives Congress (APC) and given the need for urgent, collective action to rescue our nation and the destiny of over 200 million compatriots, hereby resolve as follows:
1. That we shall resist all machinations by the APC to foist a one-party State on Nigeria and fight for the survival of multi-party democracy in our country.
2. That despite the onslaughts and manoeuvrings of the ruling party, the APC to impose President Bola Tinubu as the sole Presidential candidate in 2027; we shall field candidates and contest the 2027 Presidential and other elections.
3. That we shall work towards fielding one Presidential Candidate for the 2027 elections, which shall be agreed and supported by all participating opposition parties to rescue our nation and her long suffering masses.
4. That 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. His continuous stay in office is vexatious and capable of triggering wide spread crisis in our nation.
5. That the National Assembly should immediately review the Electoral Act, 2026 to remove all sections that threaten the sanctity and integrity of the elections and run counter to constitutional provisions.
6. That all leading politicians that are being detained or harassed on bailable offences be released with immediate effect and allowed to exercise their fundamental rights of participation and inclusivity as Nigerians.
7. That we consider the recent guidelines released by the INEC as obstacles, deliberately engineered to impose conditions and deadlines on the opposition parties. We therefore demand that INEC extends the deadline for primaries till the end of July, 2026.
8. The Summit commends Nigerians for their resilience and readiness to work with Opposition Parties to free our nation from State capture.
9. The National summit of Opposition Political Parties thank the Oyo State Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for hosting the epochal event.
SIGNED:
Chairmen of Participating Opposition Parties.
