Once again, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, is at the centre of controversy with suspicion of posting a tweet in support of the ruling party during the 2023 elections. He denied owning or operating a Twitter—now X—account, according to a statement from INEC’s Press Secretary.

The message was posted using INEC’s official handle on April 11, 2026, at 6:16PM on X and Facebook. But to people’s surprise, a word-for-word version of the INEC statement was earlier posted on the X account of Dada Olusegun, Assistant to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on April 10, 2026, at 8PM. No other version was published earlier than the 10th of April.

Amupitan has already contradicted himself when he spoke on TV a few days ago regarding removing the David-Mark-led leadership from their website. He categorically declared that he read about the Appeal Court’s ruling of March 12 via social media. One wonders what account he uses to engage on social media.

Similarly, forensic reports show that the account has left digital footprints on the account in question, which Amupitan denied owning. His email and phone numbers seem to be linked to that Twitter account. It is also evident that the same phone number is linked to his bank account, University email, and WhatsApp account.

Photos on social media show people sending money to his bank account just to confirm it is real. Others are sending WhatsApp messages and emails to see whether they are read. Following a massive backlash on X, the username was quickly changed on April 10, 2026.

The account is now protected and labelled “Parody.” No doubt, there will be claims and counterclaims regarding Amupitan’s affiliation with the ruling party. The INEC Chairman is expected to project an image of higher standards than those of ordinary office holders. But he has failed.

And not on one occasion. Muslim groups have spoken out against keeping Amupitan as INEC chair, saying it would shatter the remaining confidence the public has in the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections. It seems the call has fallen on deaf ears.

Amupitan has yet to come out to defend himself, which is a clear disregard for the consequences. Ideally, and constitutionally, INEC requires a leader whose record is clean, whose judgment is steady, and whose conduct is beyond reproach. At moments like this, the country deserves someone beyond suspicion, equal to the burden of the ballot cast in the 2027 general elections.

The phrase “beyond suspicion” holds historical relevance. It reminds me of the proverb, “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion.” This means leaders and their close associates must avoid even the appearance of impropriety to maintain trust. The proverb originates with Julius Caesar, who divorced his wife, Pompeia, due to a rumour.

In 62 BC, Publius Clodius Pulcher was accused of sneaking into a women-only religious festival held at the home of Caesar, allegedly to seduce Pompeia. No proof ever emerged that Pompeia was involved. Even so, Caesar divorced her.

His reason was blunt: his wife must not even be under suspicion. The logic followed from Caesar’s position. As Pontifex Maximus, he was Rome’s highest priest and a guardian of public morals.

Any taint of scandal would have weakened Caesar’s authority. He knew that, to protect both his office and his political career, his household had to be beyond reproach. This 2,087-year-old lesson applies neatly to Joash Amupitan.

As the INEC Chair, he equally occupies a moral office. In that role, proof of guilt or innocence is secondary. His credibility is tainted by accusations.

Like Caesar, the issue is not proof, but the presence of doubt. Once suspicion takes hold, confidence in him weakens, regardless of what counter-claims may say. An election referee must stand above suspicion if we want our democracy to succeed.

What we are witnessing since Amupitan’s appointment is a lack of confidence among Nigerians in the INEC Chair to hold a free and fair election in 2027. He has become the centre of controversy as regional figures and religious bodies continue to polarise the public. But is he worth this?

Why is the government sticking with him despite this controversy? Or are all the other candidates on their list equally questionable? The government needs to know that the longer they vacillate, the more people will challenge any suspected agenda to steal the 2027 elections.

Needless to say, there has never been any accusation of full compromise from social media accounts, religious bodies, or regional sections before elections until Amupitan came to prominence. This cannot be right. As citizens, we must endeavour to call a spade a spade.

And if we believe in the present multi-party democratic process, the people must have confidence in the electoral umpire to conduct credible elections. Citizens do not need a divisive figure to lead our electoral institution. Not when the country is as polarised as it is. The office of the INEC Chairman must be held by someone who is