2027: APC UK Chairman Breaks Silence On Alleged Meeting With INEC Chairman
The United Kingdom Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tunde Doherty, has dismissed allegations linking him to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, during an official engagement in London.
Doherty, in a statement, said he was neither an official nor a member of the INEC chairman’s delegation, describing attempts to identify him as Amupitan in a photograph taken outside Chatham House as deliberate misinformation.
He insisted that he was the person seen wearing an APC-branded cap in the photograph and had attended the public event in his capacity as the leader of the ruling party in the United Kingdom.
According to him, his presence at Chatham House was within his civic and democratic rights, stressing that he had never concealed his political affiliation.
He said, “I am Hon. Tunde Doherty, the duly elected Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom. I am not, nor have I ever been, an official, staff member, or delegate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
Doherty also condemned the reported attack on Amupitan, describing the alleged involvement of individuals wearing Obidient-branded caps as regrettable.
He maintained that his presence at the London venue did not compromise the independence of the electoral commission, dismissing suggestions to that effect as baseless.
The APC chieftain urged media organisations and members of the public to disregard what he described as fabricated narratives, adding that he remained committed to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said, “ My Presence at Chatham House: Chatham House is a globally respected, public policy institute that hosts open dialogues on critical international and national issues. As the leader of Nigeria’s ruling party in the United Kingdom, I have every civic and democratic right to attend public discourse concerning the future of our great nation.
“My Attire: Wearing a cap bearing the insignia of the All Progressives Congress is a proud reflection of my political identity and leadership role within the party. Unlike those seeking to deceive the public, I have never hidden my partisan affiliation.
“No Official Affiliation with INEC: At no point did I arrive with, speak for, or act in any capacity on behalf of the INEC Chairman or his commission.’’
“Any suggestion that my mere presence in the vicinity of a public London venue compromises the independence of Nigeria’s electoral umpire is absurd, baseless, and born out of sheer political desperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“It is deeply unfortunate that rather than engaging in constructive debates on policies and governance, certain bad-faith actors have resorted to cheap sensationalism and visual manipulation to sow distrust in our democratic institutions.”
A social media activist popularly called VeryDarkMan had also questioned the electoral commission chairman’s alleged association with a ruling party chieftain while on official duty.
However, the activist clarified that he did not see Amupitan wearing the APC-branded cap in the footage he watched.
“I watched the video carefully and I didn’t see where the INEC chairman was wearing APC cap,” he said.
VeryDarkMan identified Doherty as the individual wearing the cap but maintained that the reported meeting between the INEC chairman and the APC UK chairman raised questions about the commission’s neutrality.
He argued that public concerns went beyond whether Amupitan wore the party-branded cap, insisting that his association with a ruling party official could raise doubts about public confidence in the electoral body ahead of the 2027 general elections.
