New Nigeria Peoples Party faction calls for removal of electoral commission chairman

The Dr. Agbo Major-led faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is demanding the resignation of Professor Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), due to the commission's alleged failure to comply with court judgments regarding the party's leadership dispute.

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According to Dr. Agbo Major, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Thursday, INEC has continued to recognize individuals who are no longer legally affiliated with the NNPP, despite multiple court rulings that have affirmed the party's authentic leadership structure.

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This situation, Dr. Agbo Major claims, constitutes a breach of democratic principles, and he has warned that his faction will mobilize members nationwide for peaceful protests if INEC fails to comply with judicial pronouncements.

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Dr. Agbo Major emphasized that his faction is not only defending the NNPP, but also democracy, democratic values, the rule of law, and the credibility of Nigeria's electoral system, stating "We are not only defending our party, we are defending democracy, democratic values, the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system".

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The leadership crisis, which has been ongoing for over a year, has resulted in judgments that validated the party's congresses and recognized its Board of Trustees structure, with Dr. Agbo Major noting that the NNPP has complied with all required internal processes and submitted relevant documentation to INEC.

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However, INEC has allegedly failed to act on court orders, including a directive to comply within 72 hours and file an affidavit of compliance within 14 days, which Dr. Agbo Major claimed has not been obeyed months later.

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Dr. Agbo Major further alleged that there have been attempts to frustrate the judicial process, including pressure on the presiding judge, and questioned INEC's reliance on correspondence from individuals who are no longer party members, saying "If INEC is dissatisfied with the judgment, it should appeal, instead, it relies on letters from persons no longer recognised by the party".

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The faction has escalated its complaints to civil society organisations, diplomatic missions, including the United States, Germany, and France, as well as international democracy support groups, according to Dr. Agbo Major.

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While the NNPP remains committed to legal processes, Dr. Agbo Major stressed that nationwide protests remain an option if INEC continues to ignore court orders, and he also addressed the 2027 general election, dismissing reports of a final presidential candidate selection.

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Dr. Agbo Major described earlier mentions of a presidential candidate as provisional discussions and ruled out any coalition arrangement, stating "We are not part of any coalition, we remain focused on building our platform independently".

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The faction has urged Nigerians and the international community to monitor developments, emphasizing that respect for court judgments is essential to safeguarding Nigeria's democracy.