By Gabriel Ameh
A United Kingdom-based Nigerian lawyer, Otunba Dayo Babalola, has alleged that protesters who confronted the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, outside Chatham House in London were paid to stage the demonstration.
Babalola, who said he was physically present at the event on Thursday, dismissed claims that the protesters represented Nigerians living in the United Kingdom or the wider diaspora community.
He described the demonstrators as a small group of between 10 and 15 individuals, insisting that their actions should not be presented as the position of Nigerians abroad.
In a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja, the lawyer described reports and videos circulating on social media about the incident as a gross misrepresentation of what happened.
“I was physically present at Chatham House on Thursday, and I can state categorically that the narrative being circulated on social media is a gross misrepresentation of what actually transpired,” Babalola said.
“Those involved in the incident were not a representation of Nigerians in the diaspora, nor were they a reflection of the audience that attended the event.”
The protest reportedly occurred as Amupitan was leaving the Chatham House venue, with demonstrators said to have blocked his vehicle and demanded answers over allegations of irregularities in Nigeria’s voters’ register.
The protesters also reportedly called for his resignation, accusing INEC of compromising its independence.
However, Babalola challenged reports suggesting that the Chatham House engagement was poorly attended.
According to him, nearly 200 participants, mostly Nigerians who had registered for the event, were physically present at the venue.
He added that approximately 374 people registered and participated in the programme online, arguing that the figures demonstrated considerable interest in the engagement.
The lawyer also described Amupitan’s contribution to the discussion as insightful, saying the INEC chairman addressed questions from participants during the session.
Babalola, a senior legal practitioner and regulatory compliance specialist, has over 20 years of experience advising businesses, financial institutions and public sector organisations in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He is also a trained mediator and member of the Nigerian Bar Association and International Bar Association.
He warned against allowing political disagreements to encourage misinformation, sensationalism and deliberate distortion of events.
According to him, a small group of demonstrators should not be presented as speaking for the entire Nigerian diaspora.
Amupitan attended the Chatham House engagement titled “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot,” where he discussed Nigeria’s democratic future, the electoral process and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Source: Statement by Otunba Dayo Babalola, as provided to Media360Impact.
