EXPRESSO>>> By Steve Osuji
Honour and Electoral Integrity: Professor Joash Amupitan should have resigned a few days ago. Is the chairman of the Independent National Election Commission waiting to be sacked? One expected that as a matter of honour and electoral integrity, the chief electoral umpire should have called a world press conference and read a two- paragraph mea culpa. A solemn admission of guilt and a dignified apology is what is left for the Professor of Law, to reclaim a bit of his honour and integrity. If he had wise advisers, this is the route they would press him to follow without further ado.
But his dubious masters would have told him to hang in there and sit it out. They would tell him that it would soon blow over and in any case, resignation would expose their roguery and perhaps, upend their plans for the 2027 general elections.
But Amupitan has been damaged beyond repairs already. He has lost every iota of honour and integrity required of the holder of that esteemed office. He cannot in good conscience continue to act as an umpire with what the world now knows about him. He is tainted and therefore, has lost the moral authority to conduct a credible election. It would rub more poorly on him as a professional and a law teacher if he lingers and has to be sacked or forced out via civil protestations. That would portend a further damage of integrity.
SMOKING GUN: This column had previously noted on a couple of occasions that Professor Amupitan wasn’t the right fit for the pristine job of the number one electoral officer in the land. Before the current scandal which exposed him as being deeply sympathetic (if not a card-carrying member) of the ruling APC, one had noted the telling flaws and the baggage orbiting the persona of Amupitan like a dark comet.
For instance, this column had pointed out gaps in his CV at the point of his screening last October. There are also some inexplicable moments in his career trajectory. Beyond these, one didn’t need a psychologist to tell that Amupitan bears a burden. His visage presents a man under the weight of serious internal contradictions and dissonances. Broken down further, Amupitan simply lacks the requisite gravitas that is imbued by years of impeccable life of integrity and character.
Now, he has finally been caught out! The internet is a bitch. It never forgets as they say. It can neither be obliterated, destroyed or disguised as Amupitan has tried to do with his 2022 X account where his true colours as an APC man have been exposed.
If Amupitan doesn’t resign quickly enough, he stands at the brink of further damaging himself beyond repairs. He is already perjuring unpardonably. He is concocting lies to cover his already disgraceful lies.
First he tried to clean out the indicting tweet. When that didn’t work, he cleverly tweaked the handle’s name to seem to make light of his post. Then his media aid tells the world it’s fake news. But all verification procedures proved otherwise. All these only help sink our chairman deeper into the muck.
He is further debased and presented as a fraudulent character. To what end. Only a dignified exit will redeem our sinking professor.
VAULTING AMUPITAN: He should never have taken the job in the first place. But apparently, he is a man of vaulting ambition – considering his leaping career trajectory. Mother used to say that if you are comfortable in the company of rogues, you would never be able to absolve yourself from thievery.
Amupitan knows the company he keeps in the APC roguish clan: from top to bottom, roguery is their fare. No man of true integrity would take a job from them. Not such a sensitive job which requires utmost moral rectitude and a character without taint.
Any right-thinking adult knows that President Tinubu would never appoint an electoral umpire who would not be bonded to do his will. Tinubu has a long history of ‘winning’ elections by any ‘means possible.’
Who doesn’t know that Tinubu would move both heaven and hell to get his results at the polls: the entire military, the police, the judiciary and of course, the electoral body. Not forgetting the street urchins better known as ‘Area boys.’ Everyone, every institution and everything is suborned to steal election mandates. We have witnessed this since 1999.
When therefore, Nigerians accuse Amupitan of acceding to a pre-signed resignation letter, one is not surprised. It’s in the character of the APC leadership. What would be baffling is that a professor of Law would accept such criminal conditions. Perhaps it’s in character too?
THE COMPANY YOU KEEP: This column had also pointed out that Amupitan is soulmates to some APC chieftains and die-hard Tinubu loyalists. They include Babatunde Ogalla (san), Legal Adviser to APC, who actually head-hunted Amupitan and spruced up his CV for the job. There’s also Abiodun Faleke, a kinsman of Amupitan in the Ojumu LGA of Kogi State. Faleke is Tinubu’s man Friday and devoted servant.
All this points to the fact that Amupitan is not and cannot be an impartial arbiter in any Nigerian election. He seems like a man on a mission: he could have been appointed to deliver APC in the 2027 elections. Unfortunately for him and his paymasters, he showed his hands too early. But that’s good fortune for Nigeria and her democracy.
Amupitan’s recent handling of the orchestrated fraction in the opposition ADC was a dead giveaway. In disregard of logic and common sense he ran a bad errand fit only for bonded slaves.
RESIGN NOW! This column urges Prof Amupitan to resign pronto! He has been damaged. He has lost credibility and no matter how much he may try, nobody believes him anymore.
LASTLINE: WORLD BANK SAYS NIGERIA IS BLEEDING TO DEATH
In other climes where the legislature is alive, President Tinubu would have been impeached many times over. But on this instance of nearly 50% revenue loss, Nigerians must rise in fiery indignation.
The World Bank has lamented the humongous revenue flight happening under the Tinubu administration.
According to the global bank, about 41% of Nigeria’s earnings are under reported and indeed diverted.
Revenue collecting agencies like the internal revenue services and the Customs have become conduit pipes for siphoning revenues.
In this instance, these special agencies are allowed to earn incremental bonuses as revenues increase. For instance, in the last three years, Nigeria reportedly recorded a revenue surge of N81 trillion but in the same vein, about N38 trillion is passed through the sluiceway of graft and official corruption.
It is remarkable that in the face of no subsidy, high taxes and numerous levies; on the back of huge revenues, capital budgets are not being released adequately since 2024. Debt is rising and debt service is crippling the economy.
You would wonder why it’s the World Bank that is making this revelation.
Where’s the CBN? Where’s the National Bureau of Statistics and more worrisome, where is the National Assembly?
Perhaps our legislators need some sharp nudging?
