Tension as Fresh Protest Emerges Over Call to Sack INEC Chairman
- INEC chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, has been defended by youths and civil organisation groups from his hometown against the call for his removal
- The protesters took over the major streets in Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu LGA of Kogi State, and expressed confidence in the current leadership of the electoral body
- Amupitan has recently come under criticism over the crisis rocking the opposition party, leading to calls for his resignation
The youths in Aiyetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi state, have staged a protest against the calls by the opposition for the removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan.
The protesters were said to have been drawn from civil society and youth groups. They marched through the major streets in the community and rejected the alleged move to undermine the Amupitan leadership of INEC.
Source: Twitter
They carried placards with inscriptions such as “Fair Elections Start with Amupitan” and “Enemies of Fairness, Beware!”, adding that the allegations being spread on social media were part of the larger move to discredit the electoral body.
Nigerians react as youths defend INEC chairman
However, Nigerians have started expressing mixed reactions to the video of the protesters. Below are some of their comments:
Oluwakemi Oyefeso criticised the protesters and wondered why they are defending the INEC chairman:
"If not because Senator Natasha is a Kogi indigene, I would have supported the motion to shut down that state. While everybody is facing right, Kogi people go dey face left. It’s like they exist in a completely different Nigeria. Tell me why they’re carrying placards in support of the INEC chairman?"
Angelus Wiki said the people should protest for a free and fair election and called for the sack of the INEC chairman:
"You people didn't produce a champion ooo... You produced a fraud, the corrupt Amupitan. He is not your best. Protest for a free and fair election because this Amupitan must tender his resignation."
Source: Facebook
Tate Michael alleged that it was a sponsored protest and urged the INEC chairman to resign to protect his integrity:
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"These are all sponsored hungry bike men that were probably given a few thousand Naira. All these are damage control strategies. If Prof. Joash Amupitan had any iota of integrity, he would've resigned by now. The evidence available allegedly is clear for a blind man to see."
Bigboy criticised the protesters:
"See, yeah, these are the issues. Yes, he hails from your community, but if he breaks the law of being found supporting any political party, he has to leave. This is democracy, not kingship. INEC is an independent body; the presidency shouldn't choose who becomes INEC chairman! Stop putting Nigeria in jeopardy!"
Iamodun claimed it was a sponsored protest:
"Look at how our government is using the poverty they created to exploit it, citizens to the extent of using young naive girls and uneducated grown people. This is sad."
See the video of the protesters on X here:
Opposition leaders take protests to INEC headquarters
Legit.ng earlier reported that former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi and several ADC leaders staged a protest in Abuja
The protesters were opposing INEC’s derecognition of ADC leaders following a court ruling on the party’s internal crisis
However, the video of the opposition leaders protesting in Abuja generated mixed reactions from Nigerians
Source: Legit.ng
