Over 1,000 lawyers under the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) have urged the Senate to reject the nomination of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged partisanship and conflict of interest.
In a letter to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters dated October 10, 2025, the group said Amupitan, who served as Lead Counsel to the APC in the 2023 presidential election petition, cannot be seen as impartial.
ALDRAP warned that confirming him would violate the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and ICPC Act, citing the 2021 precedent where Lauretta Onochie was rejected over political affiliations.
The association, led by Jesse Williams Amuga, vowed to seek legal redress if the Senate proceeds with the confirmation, insisting that Nigeria has thousands of qualified non-partisan lawyers suitable for the post.
Copies of the petition were also sent to President Bola Tinubu, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and several foreign missions including those of the EU, U.S., and U.K.
