…expressed doubts over reliable voting in 2027
Former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Josh Amupitan, to resign over the recently announced timetable for the 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja, Hashim on Thursday rejected the adjusted schedule for the party primaries released by INEC, describing it as an exaggeration and alleging that it was designed to favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, INEC does not have the authority to dictate when political parties should hold their primaries.
“It is not the job of INEC to direct parties as to when they should nominate candidates for elections,” Hashim said.
“This shows that Amupitan cannot be trusted. Either he resigns or Nigerians will launch collective action to oust him. He should not be allowed to remain in that office even a day more.”
He alleged that moving the primaries to an earlier date was a deliberate attempt to weaken the opposition parties, which are currently battling internal disputes.
“He is deliberately working to favor the APC, he has destabilized other political parties who are trying to sort themselves out in court. This is disingenuous and wrong,” he said.
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Hashim further argued that for the 2027 election to be free and fair, the Election Commission should be reconstituted, stressing that public confidence in the commission's leadership is important.
“For us to have an acceptable, free and fair election in 2027, INEC must be restructured. The hasty implementation of an ill-conceived timetable after the poor performance in the Abuja Area Council election shows that the President cannot be entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the 2027 general election.”
He described such a scenario as unfair to taxpayers and warned against holding an election whose outcome, in his view, could be predictable.
The former presidential candidate said primaries are the internal affairs of political parties, provided they comply with the nomination deadlines of the Electoral Act.
He said, “INEC is not a headmaster who can impose whatever he wants on political parties. As long as parties comply with the Electoral Act with regard to submission deadlines, they have the right to determine when they hold their primaries.”
Hashim also cited historical precedents in Nigeria's political history, warning against any action that could undermine democratic continuity after 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule.
