Onyekachi Eze 
The Labour Party (LP) has said the newly nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, must prove to the world that he would not be influenced by the power of incumbency.
The party, in a statement by interim National Publicity Secretary Prince Tony Akeni, reminded him that he would be on the radar of Nigerians and the democratic world.
According to the Labour Party, the first litmus test of the new INEC Chairman after his swearing in would be to resolve the party’s leadership crisis.
The party said it would expect Prof. Amupitan to obey the Supreme Court judgement that recognised Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led National Working Committee (NWC) as the authentic leadership of the Labour Party.
“This also complies with both Nigeria’s and global administrative conventions, which forbid leadership vacuum in the management of institutions,” the party added.
It expressed displeasure that the Labour Party was not allowed to field candidates in crucial elections, including the rerun parliamentary elections in some states, and the Abuja Area Council elections, which will be held in February 2026.
According to the statement, Prof. Amupitan has vowed responsibility to make INEC a true electoral umpire that is out to serve and save Nigeria’s long-troubled democracy.
