Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has questioned the decision of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, to meet with the United Kingdom chapter chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tunde Doherty, during an official engagement in the country.

VeryDarkMan’s comments followed public criticism of Amupitan after reports emerged that the INEC chairman had worn an APC-branded cap during his visit to the UK, raising concerns about his perceived political neutrality.

However, reacting to the controversy, the activist said he had watched the video in circulation and could not establish that Amupitan wore the party-branded cap. According to him, it was Doherty who appeared in the footage wearing the APC headwear.

“I watched the video carefully and I didn’t see where the INEC chairman was wearing APC cap,” he said.

Despite clarifying the issue surrounding the cap, VeryDarkMan questioned the appropriateness of the meeting between the electoral umpire and a prominent member of the ruling party while the INEC chairman was on official duty.

He argued that the concern went beyond the allegation of wearing party insignia, stressing that interactions between the head of an independent electoral commission and partisan political figures could raise questions about the commission’s perceived impartiality.

The activist maintained that public confidence in INEC depends not only on the commission’s commitment to conducting credible elections but also on the ability of its leadership to avoid situations that could create doubts about its neutrality.