Professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to prevail on Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to avert what he described as Nigeria’s “free fall.”
In a series of posts on X on Monday, Utomi urged religious leaders, traditional rulers, and senior lawyers to “redeem themselves” by speaking the truth on developments surrounding the electoral body. He warned that silence from influential stakeholders could worsen the country’s democratic trajectory.
The political economist further alleged that INEC’s actions under Amupitan mirror tendencies associated with late Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, whom he described as widely known for dictatorial governance.
Drawing a religious analogy to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Utomi prayed that the “stone of love of money” influencing some senior lawyers and judges to compromise electoral laws and the rule of law would be “rolled away.”
“Those who see truth and cloak themselves in the garb of silence, including religious leaders, senior lawyers, and traditional rulers, will someday dance naked in the marketplace. Speak now and redeem yourselves or forever live with the shame,” he wrote.
He added that if the NBA fails to compel Amupitan to resign, Nigeria’s institutional safeguards would collapse.
“If the NBA cannot prevail on Amupitan to resign, the fall of Nigeria through institutional and moral safety nets has become a free fall. History will hold all lawyers and Amupitan accountable in a way that will embarrass the children of their children,” Utomi stated.
Utomi’s comments appear to be in reaction to INEC’s recent decision to derecognise factions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) linked to David Mark, a former Senate President, and Nafiu Bala, the factional national chairman.
INEC had explained that the decision followed its review of a Court of Appeal judgment concerning the party’s leadership crisis. The electoral body maintained that its interpretation of the ruling guided its action.
However, the Mark-led faction rejected INEC’s position, accusing the commission of misinterpreting the appellate court judgment and acting under external pressure.
The ADC has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership tussle, with multiple factions laying claim to the party’s national structure.
Analysts warn that continued disputes and regulatory interventions by INEC could affect the party’s readiness for future elections. Utomi’s intervention reflects growing concern among political stakeholders over the perceived neutrality of electoral institutions and the broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic stability.
