“I Have Known Amupitan Since 1991 as a Student, He Has No Integrity” — Dalung Alleges in Fresh Attack on INEC Chair

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has launched a strong criticism against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Ojo Amupitan, accusing him of lacking integrity and misusing his public statements to influence political perception.

Dalung made the remarks during an interview on Trust TV, where he questioned Amupitan’s credibility and referenced past experiences from their time at the University of Jos.

“The Amupitan I know since 1991 as a student and later in 2004 as a colleague… has no integrity,” Dalung said.

He insisted that his position was based on personal encounters and professional interactions over several years, alleging that issues occurred during Amupitan’s tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Law.

Dalung also reacted to recent comments attributed to the INEC chairman regarding the African Democratic Congress, African Democratic Congress, claiming that the remarks were politically suggestive and capable of intimidating opposition voices.

“He was telling ADC… warning ADC that what happened in Zamfara would happen with the ADC,” Dalung said.

He argued that the reference to electoral developments in Zamfara State was misleading, insisting that the situation was strictly about electoral procedures rather than party leadership failures.

“What happened in Zamfara was not about the leadership of the party… it has to do with the process of selecting candidates which the Electoral Act was not followed,” he explained.

Dalung further accused Amupitan of using cautionary language in a way that could be interpreted as pressure on political actors.

“He was issuing warnings… so that he can whittle down the momentum in ADC,” he alleged.

He also dismissed arguments that Amupitan’s academic and professional credentials, including his status as a professor of law and senior advocate, should automatically guarantee integrity.

“The security checks and screening is not about integrity,” he said.

Providing specific allegations from his time at the University of Jos, Dalung claimed there were irregularities in academic grading during the 2009–2010 session.

“Sixteen students had their 2-1 results traded off under his watch,” he alleged.

He further stated that he personally intervened in the matter, describing his involvement as a protest against what he considered injustice.

“I took the struggle of the 16 students against the faculty board,” Dalung said.

Dalung also claimed that his activism led to personal consequences, including delays in his academic records.

“My results were not released until after two years… and my certificate was not issued until after about four or five years,” he added.

He maintained that affected individuals are still alive and capable of confirming his claims, insisting that more details exist beyond what he disclosed during the interview.

Amupitan has not issued a public response to the allegations at the time of filing this report.