London Protesters Block INEC Chairman Amupitan’s Vehicle, Demand Resignation

Nigerian protesters in London have confronted the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, surrounding the vehicle conveying him and demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in Nigeria’s preliminary voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The incident occurred on Thursday, November 12, 2026, outside Chatham House, London, where Amupitan had attended a high-level discussion on Nigeria’s electoral preparations and democratic future.

Videos of the confrontation circulated on social media on Friday, November 13, showing demonstrators surrounding a black vehicle believed to be conveying the INEC chairman, shouting accusations and demanding that he come out to address their concerns.

Some of the protesters were heard shouting, “Come out and talk to us,” while others accused the electoral commission of compromising its independence and demanded Amupitan’s immediate resignation.

The demonstrators, believed to be Nigerians living in the United Kingdom, accused INEC of allegedly favouring President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

They also described the electoral commission as a “criminal organisation”, citing concerns about alleged multiple voter registrations, suspected artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photographs and questionable entries in the preliminary voters’ register.

According to reports and videos of the incident, Amupitan remained inside the vehicle as the protesters continued shouting and demanding explanations.

The demonstration reflects growing public scrutiny of INEC’s preparedness and credibility as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.

Protest Linked to Voters’ Register Controversy

The protest followed mounting controversy over the integrity of the preliminary voters’ register published by INEC, which attracted criticism after Nigerians raised concerns about suspicious entries, duplicate registrations and photographs suspected to have been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence.

The controversy became more significant after INEC announced on November 9 that it had removed 1,608,660 confirmed invalid voter registrations following a nationwide review of records generated during the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

Amupitan disclosed that the commission had also removed 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons.

According to the INEC chairman, the commission received 11,088,238 registration records from the three phases of the CVR exercise. Its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) initially flagged 1,545,052 records for further examination.

He explained that automated flagging did not automatically mean a registration was invalid, as each affected record had to undergo further investigation and administrative verification.

The commission also identified 54 individuals across 10 states allegedly involved in registration irregularities. Amupitan said those found culpable would face disciplinary measures, including possible prosecution.

INEC attributed some of the irregularities to registration personnel who allegedly circumvented established procedures and abused provisions designed for exceptional registration circumstances.

The commission also explained that some suspicious records circulating online originated from previous registration exercises dating back to 2011.

What Amupitan Said at Chatham House

The confrontation took place against the backdrop of Amupitan’s engagement at Chatham House, where he participated in a discussion titled Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.

The November 12 event was organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) and examined the implications of the 2027 elections for Nigeria’s democracy, regional stability and international relations.

During the discussion, Amupitan acknowledged that the controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections had significantly damaged public confidence in INEC.

He said the commission was introducing additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate election results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

He also maintained that lessons from previous elections were informing improvements in election administration ahead of 2027.

The INEC chairman further pledged not to accept any political or diplomatic appointment after completing his tenure, insisting that accepting such an appointment could undermine public confidence in his independence.

His statement comes after his predecessor, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, was nominated and subsequently designated as Nigeria’s non-career ambassador to Qatar following his departure from INEC.

Amupitan said his commitment to electoral neutrality was necessary to preserve the trust Nigerians should have in the commission.

Veracity Check: What Has Been Established?

Findings from multiple reports published on November 13, including those by Punch, TheCable, BusinessDay and Daily Post, independently corroborate the central claim that Nigerian protesters confronted Amupitan outside Chatham House and surrounded the vehicle conveying him.

The videos described in the reports also support the account of protesters shouting at the INEC chairman and demanding that he address their concerns.

The following distinctions are important:

• Confirmed: The confrontation occurred outside Chatham House on November 12, 2026.
• Confirmed by multiple reports: Protesters surrounded Amupitan’s vehicle and demanded his resignation.
• Established background: INEC acknowledged registration irregularities and announced the removal of more than 1.6 million invalid registrations.
• Not independently established: The protesters’ allegations that INEC deliberately manipulated the voters’ register to favour Tinubu and the APC.
• Not established: That the identified irregularities were evidence of a coordinated plan to rig the 2027 general elections.

The fact that INEC acknowledged irregularities and removed millions of invalid records does not, by itself, establish that the commission deliberately manipulated the register for the benefit of any political party.

Similarly, the protesters’ accusations should be reported as allegations rather than established findings.

The London incident nevertheless highlights the growing pressure on INEC to demonstrate transparency, independence and accountability as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.