Leaders of civil society and youth groups have expressed support for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan. The solidarity visit took place on Thursday at INEC's headquarters in Abuja. Blessing Akinlosotu, Executive Director of the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN), said ongoing protests by political party factions at INEC's premises are unnecessary. He stressed that internal party disputes should not interfere with the commission's work ahead of the 2027 general elections. "These are internal political issues that we expect to be resolved internally," Akinlosotu said, adding that daily disruptions hinder INEC's ability to carry out its duties.
Babangida Isah, President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, affirmed that youths would not allow INEC to be dragged into partisan conflicts. He described INEC as an independent body and praised Amupitan's leadership, crediting President Bola Tinubu for appointing a lawyer who understands the rule of law. Jethro Annum, President of the Nigerian Youth Congress, said INEC's role is regulatory, not mediatory. He urged political parties to resolve internal crises without involving INEC or mobilising youth for protests. The leaders collectively called for respect for court rulings and for politicians to allow INEC to focus on election preparations.
Prof. Joash Amupitan's INEC is being tested not by logistics or funding, but by the relentless pressure of political factions seeking to weaponise its office for internal gains. The fact that party factions are staging daily protests at INEC's Abuja headquarters reveals a deeper dysfunction—political parties treating a constitutional body as a battleground for internal legitimacy. This is not about electioneering; it is about power brokers using public institutions to settle scores while hiding behind grassroots mobilisation.
The commendation of President Tinubu for appointing a legally trained chairman suggests a quiet endorsement of technocratic leadership in a space often hijacked by political patronage. Yet, the real issue lies in the failure of parties to manage internal democracy. When leaders cannot resolve succession disputes or zoning arrangements without dragging INEC into the fray, it exposes weak party structures and a culture of impunity. The youth leaders' pushback is significant—not because they defend INEC, but because they reject being used as political foot soldiers for crises that do not concern them.
Ordinary Nigerians, especially young people, stand to lose the most when election season becomes a prolonged spectacle of protest and manipulation. Time spent on street demonstrations orchestrated by party elites is time stolen from education, jobs, and skill development. The call to focus on livelihoods is a quiet indictment of how politics consumes youth energy without delivering returns.
This pattern is not new. Every election cycle brings a repeat of INEC's siege by party factions seeking validation. Until parties develop internal dispute mechanisms, the commission will remain a hostage to political theatrics.
