The Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, Adewole Adebayo, has sharply criticised the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, over what he described as troubling inconsistencies in the Commission’s handling of political party leadership records.
Adebayo’s reaction follows the removal of Professor Sadiq Abubakar Gombe’s name from INEC’s website and its replacement with Shehu Musa Gabam as the National Chairman of the SDP. He said the development raises serious concerns about neutrality and independence in Nigeria’s electoral management.
According to him, such actions risk reinforcing public suspicion that the electoral body may not be fully independent.
“To allow himself to confirm what has been suspected of him—that he is not running INEC to achieve competitive elections, that he is just a drone being flown from the villa,” Adebayo said.
He argued that the shifting entries on INEC’s portal undermine public confidence, insisting that leadership legitimacy cannot be determined by website updates.
“The authority to determine leadership does not lie with a website. It lies with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and binding judicial pronouncements of the Supreme Court,” he stated.
Adebayo maintained that inconsistencies in how party leaderships are displayed on INEC’s portal reflect deeper systemic issues. He cited instances where different names appear at different times, describing the situation as administratively confusing and politically sensitive.
“If you go and check the website, sometimes you will see Gombe, sometimes you will see Gabam,” he said, adding that the INEC portal “is not a source for determining leadership.”
He also referenced past legal disputes involving INEC, noting that a matter previously taken to the Supreme Court resulted in the Commission being fined ₦2 million. According to him, such precedents highlight the importance of strict adherence to constitutional provisions rather than administrative discretion.
Adebayo further pointed to inconsistencies in other political parties’ listings, alleging broader ICT and administrative lapses within the Commission.
He also linked the latest controversy to recent political statements, including claims made in the National Assembly by Senator Aliyu Wadada suggesting a leadership crisis within the SDP—claims Adebayo dismissed as false.
“There is no leadership crisis in the SDP,” he said. “Gaban has not gone to court to file any suit, and we have not said we have any problem with him or anybody.”
Despite the dispute, Adebayo insisted that the SDP remains focused on its political agenda ahead of 2027.
“We are not going to be distracted,” he said, adding that the party’s priority is to “restructure Nigeria’s leadership and offer voters credible alternatives.”
He reiterated that the party’s broader objective remains unchanged, even amid internal and external political controversies.
Adebayo Tackles INEC Chair, Warns of “Drone from the Villa” Perception
