Opposition Watch Nigeria (OWN), a democratic pressure group, has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, to come clean with regards to allegations of a land bribe involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
OWN alleged that the bribe is reportedly intended to ensure that INEC does not recognize the Turaki-led elected National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that such inducements are aimed at securing INEC’s bias in favour of specific political interests.
It also noted that the land inducement has totally compromised INEC’s constitutional neutrality, and systematically weakening opposition forces.
OWN Nigeria particularly said that the Wike land bribe allegation, if true, places a significant blight on the INEC Chairman and the integrity of the Commission itself, requiring a serious investigation and stringent sanctions in the event of culpability.
It stressed that it was instructive to note that the allegations align with a disturbing pattern of reported land revocations and reallocations used as political inducements or punishments in the FCT under Chief Wike.
A statement by Aisha Bello, Media Coordinator of OWN, called on Prof. Amupitan to address allegations that he secretly visited the FCT Minister under the cover of night in December 2025. According to Bello; “It is alleged that during this meeting, he received directives to frustrate the Turaki-led NWC and was subsequently allocated a prime plot of land in the sprawling Asokoro District of Abuja, with a promise that the property would be developed for him.
“Prof. Amupitan must also clarify allegations that this property bribe is part of a ‘well-oiled deal’ driving scandalous efforts by INEC, under his watch, to instigate a crisis within the PDP.
“These efforts involve attempting to recognize and foist a Wike-backed renegade group on the party, in clear violation of the PDP Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“This alleged deal is reported to be the motive behind the INEC Chairman convening a controversial meeting of “PDP Stakeholders,” where he attempted to grant legitimacy to the Wike-backed group over the Turaki-led NWC elected at the party’s National Convention in Ibadan,” Bello stated.
OWN therefore challenged the INEC Chairman to respond to the allegation that the inducement is the catalyst for the Commission’s scandalous actions against the PDP—specifically, the attempt to force non-members (who have been expelled by the party) to operate as a “National Caretaker Working Committee,” an organ that does not exist within the PDP Constitution.
The statement noted that the action by INEC under Amupitan is clearly aimed at furthering the plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to impose a one-party state in the country by exacerbating internal divisions within the PDP and weakening Nigeria’s main opposition party ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Accordingly; OWN Nigeria demanded an independent open investigation and a transparent inquiry into the allegations as well as asset disclosure of Prof. Amupitan’s Asset Declaration since his appointment.
It also demanded the immediate resignation of Prof. Amupitan as INEC Chairman to safeguard what remains of public confidence in the Commission’s impartiality.
OWN declared that as a platform committed to defending democratic principles, transparency, and the Rule of Law in Nigeria, it insisted that democracy cannot survive if the electoral referee is compromised by inducements.
It said; “The sanctity of the ballot depends entirely on the integrity of the person holding the whistle”.
