TDIn an unprecedented show of digital protest, Nigerians have adopted a novel tactic to express outrage against Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Citizens across the country are sending token transfers of ₦1 to ₦10 to Professor Amupitan’s Opay and GTBank accounts.
They use the remarks field to deliver blunt messages such as “Resign”, Go Back to Your APC”, “Step down,” “INEC must be neutral”, “Resign now”, et al.
This unusual form of protest has quickly gone viral, with millions participating.
Ironically, while the campaign is meant to pressure Amupitan, it is simultaneously padding his bank balance as the small deposits accumulate.
How It Started
The protest was triggered by efforts to verify whether the controversial X (formerly Twitter) handle @joashamupitan, later changed to @Sundayvibe00 after posting pro-APC tweets, belonged to the INEC chairman.
- Nigerians used the “forgot password” recovery option on X, entering details from Amupitan’s publicly available CV.
- The recovery process displayed partial identifiers that matched his listed email and phone number.
- To confirm further, citizens tested the phone number through Opay and GTBank transfers.
The name that appeared was “Joash Ojo Amupitan.”
- Additional checks via Truecaller showed the same number registered as “Joash Ojo Amupitan (Prof),” aligning with his CV and university profile.
Convinced of the link, Nigerians began sending emails and messages to the associated address and phone number, telling him to resign.
When the email was disabled and the phone switched off, protesters switched tactics — turning to symbolic bank transfers.
Protest Against Amupitan in Action
The campaign has become a nationwide phenomenon:
- Token Transfers: Citizens send ₦1 to ₦10, attaching remarks to compel him to resign.
- Crowd-Sourced Pressure: The sheer volume of transfers ensures the message cannot be ignored, even if the amounts are small.
- Public Outrage: Many see this as a creative way to bypass censorship and directly confront the INEC boss.
Why Nigerians Are Angry Against Amupitan
The controversy stems from allegations that Amupitan, as INEC chairman, is compromised by partisan ties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The resurfaced pro-APC tweets intensified suspicions that the electoral umpire is not neutral.
Critics argue that if the chairman openly sympathizes with APC, the credibility of Nigeria’s elections is at risk.
For many, the bank transfer protest is a symbolic act of reclaiming accountability.
Wider Implications for INEC
- Digital Activism: This protest highlights how Nigerians are leveraging technology to hold leaders accountable in unconventional ways.
- Public Trust: INEC’s credibility is already fragile. Allegations of bias, combined with viral protests, could further erode confidence in the electoral process.
- Political Pressure: The campaign places Amupitan under immense scrutiny, with calls for his resignation growing louder.
What began as an attempt to verify a suspicious social media account has evolved into a nationwide protest movement.
Nigerians, frustrated by what they perceive as compromised leadership at INEC, are using ₦1 to ₦10 transfers as digital petitions, each remark a demand for accountability.
Whether Professor Amupitan responds remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: Nigerians have found a powerful, creative way to make their voices heard — turning the banking system itself into a platform for protest.
