ABUJA — Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has intensified his campaign against the newly confirmed National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), alleging that “skeletons” from the professor’s past at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) render him unfit for national service.
In a fiery interview on Trust TV, Dalung—now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—claimed that his refusal to support the INEC boss is rooted in first-hand observations of Amupitan’s conduct during their shared decades at the University of Jos.
The “UNIJOS Connection”: 1991–2004
Dalung, who was a law student at UNIJOS in 1991 and later a lecturer alongside Amupitan in 2004, stated that “things happened under his watch” that permanently stained his reputation.
“The Amupitan I know since 1991 as a student and later in 2004 as a colleague when I was lecturing in the university has no integrity,” Dalung asserted. “There were things that happened under his watch in the University of Jos when I was a lecturer. So, he is not someone who has any integrity that one would come here to waste time on.”
Allegations of Administrative Lapses
While Dalung stopped short of listing specific criminal charges during the broadcast, his allegations coincide with a broader wave of scrutiny regarding Amupitan’s rapid rise through the UNIJOS hierarchy.
Critics have pointed to what they describe as “atypical” academic advancement, noting that Amupitan became Head of Public Law and subsequently Dean of Law shortly after completing his PhD. Dalung’s comments specifically alluded to incidents during Amupitan’s tenure as Dean, suggesting administrative or academic lapses that Dalung witnessed personally as a member of the faculty.
A Pattern of “Compromise”?
The former minister’s attack is part of a larger political offensive by the ADC, which has called for Amupitan’s immediate removal. The party alleges that INEC, with Amupitan in a key role, has been “procured” by the ruling APC to destabilize opposition structures.
Other groups have also joined the fray, citing a 2020 legal brief authored by Amupitan that they argue proves he lacks the neutrality required for a national electoral role.
The Defense
Despite the heavy fire from Dalung, several UNIJOS lecturers have jumped to Amupitan’s defense, describing him as an “academic giant” and a “beacon of integrity.” They argue that his appointment was strictly on merit and that the attacks from Dalung and the ADC are purely political vendettas.
As of this report, Professor Amupitan has not personally responded to Dalung’s specific claims regarding the “things that happened” during his time at the University of Jos.
