The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to clarify reported redeployments involving key departments of the fee forward of the 2027 basic elections.
The affiliation mentioned the reported modifications had raised issues about INEC’s neutrality and will undermine public confidence within the electoral course of if the fee failed to supply passable explanations.
In a press release signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA questioned the reported appointment of Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi to move the Electoral Operations Department.
The affiliation cited studies that her husband, Otunba Segun Showunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had publicly expressed assist for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
HURIWA, nonetheless, mentioned it was not declaring Adeyemi-Showunmi compromised on account of her husband’s political affiliations however insisted that INEC ought to tackle any potential notion of a battle of curiosity.
It additionally questioned the reported redeployment of Isah Magaji Gummi, the previous Director of Electoral Operations, to the Voter Registry Department.
The affiliation additional raised issues over studies that Dr Lawrence Bayode was heading the fee’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department, arguing that the appointments required larger transparency given the sensitivity of the positions.
“HURIWA finds these reported redeployments ominous and suspicious. INEC must not allow unanswered questions about its internal arrangements to erode Nigerians’ confidence in the 2027 elections,” the assertion mentioned.
The affiliation urged Amupitan to clarify why Gummi was moved from Electoral Operations, disclose the standards utilized in assigning Adeyemi-Showunmi to the division and make clear the safeguards in place to forestall political issues from influencing appointments to delicate positions.
It famous that the Electoral Operations Department coordinates crucial electoral actions, together with the distribution of election supplies, recruitment and coaching of advert hoc employees, polling preparations and the supervision of collation processes.
According to HURIWA, the ICT Department additionally performs an important function in election administration, making transparency within the management and administration of each departments important to public confidence.
The affiliation warned that the reported redeployments might gasoline suspicion if INEC didn’t show that competence, due course of and institutional independence guided its choices.
It additionally referred to as on the fee to clarify the measures it had put in place to forestall political pursuits from influencing the administration of delicate election supplies, polling operations and technology-driven electoral processes.
HURIWA mentioned INEC ought to tackle the issues earlier than political actions intensified, fairly than wait till political events and voters started questioning the fee’s choices throughout the elections.
The affiliation additionally backed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s name for INEC to clarify the reported redeployments and disclose preparations for the manufacturing, printing and custody of delicate election supplies.
Atiku had referred to as on the fee to publish the standards guiding appointments and redeployments and show that its choices have been based mostly on benefit and due course of, with out political interference.
He additionally cautioned in opposition to assuming that any official was compromised due to ethnicity, regional origin or private associations.
HURIWA mentioned stakeholders should distinguish between official questions on institutional neutrality and unproven allegations of electoral manipulation.
However, it maintained that INEC had a duty to supply verifiable solutions to forestall avoidable suspicions from weakening public belief within the electoral course of.
The affiliation urged opposition events, civil society organisations and different stakeholders to demand transparency via lawful and democratic means.
It additionally referred to as on Amupitan to show that the fee operated independently of the Presidency, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and different political pursuits.
“INEC must come clean. Nigerians deserve an electoral commission that inspires confidence through its decisions and actions. Professor Amupitan must explain these reported redeployments and demonstrate that no political interest can influence the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections,” HURIWA mentioned.
The affiliation added that though allegations of political interference required verifiable proof, INEC shouldn’t regard calls for for transparency as an assault on its management.
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