The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the United Kingdom, Hon. Tunde Doherty, has dismissed social media reports linking him to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, describing the claims as malicious misinformation and deliberate attempts to mislead the public.
Doherty, in a statement issued on Saturday, said he was neither an official, staff member nor delegate of INEC, insisting that attempts to portray him as the electoral commission’s chairman or a member of his entourage were false and politically motivated.
The controversy followed the circulation of a photograph showing Doherty outside Chatham House in London, with some social media users allegedly misidentifying him as Prof. Amupitan or someone accompanying the INEC chairman.
Clarifying his presence at the venue, Doherty explained that Chatham House is a public policy institution that hosts discussions on important national and international issues. He maintained that, as the leader of the APC in the United Kingdom, he had every right to participate in public discussions concerning Nigeria’s future.
He also defended his decision to wear an APC-branded cap, describing it as an open expression of his political identity and leadership position within the ruling party.
Doherty further stressed that he neither arrived with the INEC chairman nor spoke or acted on behalf of the commission in any capacity.
While distancing himself from the controversy, the APC UK chairman condemned the reported attack on Prof. Amupitan, allegedly involving individuals identified by their Obidient-branded caps.
He described acts of intimidation and violence as unacceptable in a democratic society, calling on Nigerians across political divides to condemn such behaviour.
The APC chieftain also rejected suggestions that his presence near a public venue in London could undermine the independence of Nigeria’s electoral umpire, describing such allegations as baseless and driven by political desperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He accused political opponents and other individuals of resorting to sensationalism and visual manipulation instead of engaging in constructive discussions about governance and public policy.
Doherty urged media organisations, members of the public and Nigerians in the diaspora to disregard what he described as fabricated narratives.
He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthening democratic engagement among Nigerians in the diaspora.
The statement was signed by Hon. Tunde Doherty in his capacity as Chairman of APC United Kingdom, Chairman of the APC Committee of Diaspora Chairmen, and Deputy Director 1 of the APC-PCC Diaspora Mobilisation Directorate.
