A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has called for the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, over the recently released timetable for the 2027 general elections.
On Saturday, Hashim rejected the adjusted schedule for party primaries announced by INEC on Thursday, February 26, 2026, describing it as an overreach of the commission’s powers and alleging that it was structured to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, INEC does not have constitutional authority to dictate when political parties conduct their primaries beyond ensuring compliance with statutory deadlines for candidate submission. “It’s not the business of INEC to dictate to parties when they should conduct nominations of candidates for elections. This shows that Amupitan cannot be trusted. It’s either he resigns or Nigerians will embark on mass action to force him out. He should not be allowed to stay a day longer in that office,” Hashim said.
He alleged that moving party primaries to an earlier date was a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition parties currently facing internal disputes and court cases. “He’s deliberately working to favour the APC, having destabilised other political parties who are trying to sort out themselves in court. That is disingenuous and wrong,” he said.
INEC had announced adjustments to the 2027 election timetable, including timelines for party primaries and submission of candidates, as part of preparations for the next general elections. The commission maintains that such timelines are necessary to ensure orderly conduct of the electoral process and compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
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Hashim argued that while INEC has the responsibility to fix dates for general elections and set deadlines for candidate submissions, the conduct and scheduling of party primaries remain internal matters for political parties. “INEC is not a headmaster that can impose what it wants on political parties. As long as parties comply with the Electoral Act regarding submission timelines, they have the right to determine when to hold their primaries,” he said.
The former presidential aspirant further insisted that public confidence in INEC’s leadership is crucial for credible elections, calling for the reconstitution of the commission ahead of 2027. He warned that the perceived bias or administrative overreach could undermine democratic trust and inflame political tensions.
“For us to have an acceptable, free and fair election in 2027, INEC has to be reconstituted. Rushing out an ill-thought-out timetable after what we consider a poor performance in the Abuja Area Council election shows that the chairman cannot be entrusted with the 2027 general election,” Hashim stated.
He referenced Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule since 1999, noting that debates over INEC’s independence, neutrality, and administrative powers often intensify ahead of major elections, and called on stakeholders to safeguard the country’s democratic continuity.