A public affairs analyst and development consultant, Victor Oluwafemi, has criticised growing calls for the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, describing them as premature and potentially destabilising.
In a statement on Sunday, Oluwafemi said the increasing demands for Prof. Amupitan’s exit raise “serious questions about intent and consequence,” warning that such pressure could undermine democratic institutions.
“I am compelled, as a concerned citizen to address the growing calls for the resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” he said, questioning whether the agitation is based on verifiable institutional breaches or driven by political positioning and reactionary pressure.
The analyst specifically referenced positions taken by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), cautioning that their stance, if not measured, could set a dangerous precedent where leadership of critical institutions is swayed by public agitation rather than constitutional provisions.
“When institutions begin to respond to pressure instead of process, democracy itself becomes negotiable,” he warned.
Oluwafemi stressed that Nigeria’s constitutional framework clearly outlines the procedure for removing an INEC chairman, insisting that such action cannot be driven by public sentiment or media campaigns.
“It is therefore both prudent and necessary to advise that all grievances be subjected to judicial scrutiny. In every serious democracy, accusation must travel through the courts, not through microphones,” he stated.
He also decried what he described as a surge in unguarded and uncultured utterances across broadcast and digital platforms, linking inflammatory rhetoric to electoral violence.
Citing recent electoral observations, Oluwafemi noted that over 200 incidents of election-related violence had been recorded, with fatalities, blaming part of the tension on reckless public commentary and premature delegitimisation of institutions.
“Words, when recklessly deployed in a fragile political climate, can become triggers rather than expressions,” he said.
The consultant urged political opposition groups, socio-religious organisations, and media commentators to exercise restraint, warning that their interventions must strengthen, not erode, public confidence in democratic systems.
“Freedom of expression must never become a licence for institutional erosion,” he added.
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He maintained that his position was not in defence of any individual but rooted in the need to uphold due process and institutional order.
“Where there is credible evidence of wrongdoing, it must be tested through lawful and constitutional channels… Until such processes have run their course, calls for resignation remain premature,” he said.
Oluwafemi urged Nigerians to prioritise stability and adherence to legal frameworks over emotional or politically charged reactions.
“A nation does not strengthen its democracy by removing officials through pressure, but by upholding the systems designed to hold them accountable,” he said.
