The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?s appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing it as a calculated move to manipulate the 2027 general elections in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, HURIWA accused President Tinubu of appointing a loyalist to oversee the nation?s electoral process ahead of 2027, saying the President?s desperation to retain power ?at all costs? has now been extended to the control of the electoral umpire.

According to the rights group, intelligence available to it indicated that Prof. Amupitan, 58, law professor, a Yoruba man, who hails from Kogi State, was handpicked to protect the political interest of the President and the APC, describing him as ?a stooge of the President and a negotiated appointee already compromised before assumption of duty.?

?From the intelligence at our disposal, this appointment is not about competence but control. The President, who is brutally desperate to remain in power in 2027, has chosen an ally who will do his bidding. It is now left for Prof. Amupitan to prove this wrong,? HURIWA stated.

The association said that with the manner of his emergence, Nigerians should not expect a free and fair election in 2027 unless the Electoral Act is urgently amended to make the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing portal (IReV) compulsory and backed by law.

HURIWA recalled that the 2023 presidential election was ?tainted by irregularities? and manipulated in favour of the APC, while the National Assembly polls were ?relatively credible? because electronic accreditation and result transmission were applied. The group maintained that any future election conducted under a chairman installed by a ?desperate incumbent? would lack credibility.

It also expressed concern over the ongoing defection of opposition lawmakers and elected officials to the APC, alleging that the moves were motivated by fear of persecution by anti-graft agencies acting as appendages of the Presidency.

?We have a President using every available state institution to weaken opposition parties. Many public officials are decamping to the APC believing it is the only safe haven against prosecution. This is a dangerous sign that the 2027 elections will not be free or competitive,? the statement added.

HURIWA further cited the growing display of Tinubu?s 2027 campaign billboards nationwide as evidence of a ?lawless and premature campaign culture? that exposes the President?s desperation to retain power at all costs, warning that such actions could lead to political unrest.

The association therefore called on the National Assembly to expedite passage of electoral reform bills and ensure that the use of BVAS and IReV for result transmission is clearly provided in the law, not left to INEC?s internal policy.

?If this president continues to interfere with the independence of INEC, and the 2027 elections are manipulated, the country risks widespread instability,? HURIWA warned.

The group urged Prof. Amupitan to demonstrate independence and transparency in his new role, saying Nigerians and the international community are watching to see whether he will rise above partisanship or reinforce fears that he is a political instrument in the hands of a desperate incumbent.

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