…An open letter from Comrade James Onifade to Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN
Dear Professor Amupitan,
I write at a moment when public trust in INEC is not just low—it is bleeding. And when trust bleeds, democracy weakens faster than any rigged ballot.
The recent storm over INEC’s alleged copying of a press statement from Mr. Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on New Media, has done real damage. INEC has denied the allegation, stating that the media misrepresented its position.
However, Nigerians are not debating grammar. They are asking harder questions: Is INEC still independent? Is it neutral? Can we trust it with 2026?
Prof. Amupitan, you are not an ordinary citizen. You are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a man known for defending constitutional order and electoral integrity. When you speak, the system listens. When you remain silent, the system assumes. Right now, your silence is being read as consent.
This issue is bigger than a press statement. It is about the wall between Aso Rock and INEC. That wall must be high, thick, and visible. Today, Nigerians see cracks. Perception in elections is as dangerous as fact.
Let us be blunt. Two grave allegations trail you in public discourse:
1. That you act as the President’s “spy” within the electoral framework.
2. That your appointment was designed to serve the Executive, not the electorate.
You have not publicly debunked these claims—neither categorically nor forcefully. In the court of public opinion, silence is often interpreted as consent. Until you speak, this concern cannot be dismissed as minor. It touches on personal integrity, institutional independence, and the credibility of the 2026 elections.
We will not accept a narrow reply. Nigerians deserve full answers, not half-truths. Democracy demands that referees are not only impartial—they must also be seen to be impartial. Once doubt enters, only bold and transparent action can restore confidence.
So this letter is not an attack; it is a call to duty. A national expectation. We demand three things from you now:
1. Address every allegation against you—directly, publicly, and without legal ambiguity.
2. Reaffirm your loyalty—not to any individual, but to the Constitution and the Nigerian people.
3. Demonstrate it through action—whether through recusal, resignation, or reform in any area where your role creates doubt.
Prof. Amupitan, we still believe you can be part of the solution. You have the law, the voice, and the standing to restore confidence in this process. But hope is not a strategy—action is.
History is watching. It remembers those who stood firm when democracy trembled, and those who looked away.
The 2026 election will test us all. The time to prove neutrality is not in 2026—it is now. Speak, sir. Act, sir. Let Nigerians see, beyond doubt, that their votes will count and no hidden hand guides the process.
The nation waits. Do not keep it waiting.
Yours for a credible Nigeria,
Hon. Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and A Better Judicial System
