‘Attacking Referee Before Match’: Shehu Sani Reacts to Nigerians’ Confrontation With INEC Chairman in UK

 

‘Attacking Referee Before Match’: Shehu Sani Reacts to Nigerians’ Confrontation With INEC Chairman in UK

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has condemned the reported harassment of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, by a group of Nigerians in the United Kingdom.

 

Sani’s reaction followed the circulation of a viral video showing Nigerians confronting the electoral commission’s chairman during his visit to the UK, sparking reactions across social media.

 

The incident has also generated discussions about how public officeholders should be held accountable, particularly when they travel outside the country.

 

Reacting in a post on his official X account on Friday, Sani questioned why the INEC chairman would be intimidated over an election that had yet to take place.

 

He likened the conduct of the protesters to the activities of political thugs in Nigeria who disrupt public gatherings, insult people and resort to intimidation.

 

Sani wrote: “What is the point in intimidating and harassing the INEC chairman in London for an election that is yet to be held?

 

“What is the difference between their actions and those of thugs who gatecrash, insult and molest others here at home?”

 

The former senator also expressed concern that the incident could further damage Nigeria’s image internationally, particularly amid negative perceptions of Nigerians in some foreign countries.

 

He questioned whether such footage was what Nigerians wanted the international community to see, adding that confronting the electoral umpire before the election was equivalent to attacking a referee before a football match.

 

The confrontation occurred on Thursday, November 12, outside Chatham House in London, where Amupitan had participated in a discussion on Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.

 

The protesters reportedly surrounded the vehicle conveying the INEC chairman, demanding that he address their concerns over alleged irregularities in the preliminary voters’ register.

 

They reportedly raised issues including suspected duplicate registrations, artificial intelligence-generated photographs and alleged questionable polling units, while calling for greater transparency in the electoral process.

 

Amupitan remained inside the vehicle as the protesters shouted and demanded that he come out to address them.

 

The incident has generated widespread reactions, with renewed debate over electoral accountability, the independence of INEC and the appropriate ways of expressing public grievances.

 

‘Attacking Referee Before Match’: Shehu Sani Reacts to Nigerians’ Confrontation With INEC Chairman in UK