A United Kingdom-based Nigerian lawyer, Dayo Babalola, has alleged that some Nigerians who protested against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. 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, also dismissed claims that the protesters represented Nigerians in the diaspora, describing them as a small group of between 10 and 15 individuals.
The lawyer, in a statement on Friday, described reports and videos circulating on social media about the incident as a gross misrepresentation of what transpired, insisting that the demonstrators did not reflect the views of Nigerians living in the United Kingdom or the wider diaspora community.
Amupitan had attended a Chatham House engagement titled, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot,” where he spoke on the country’s democratic future, the electoral process and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Reports of the protest emerged after a group of demonstrators gathered outside the venue as the INEC chairman was leaving, reportedly blocking his vehicle and demanding that he address allegations of irregularities in the voters’ register.
The protesters were also reported to have called for his resignation, accusing the electoral commission of compromising its independence.
However, Babalola said the demonstration took place after the formal engagement and should not be presented as an interruption or disruption of the event.
“Some of those involved were wearing Peter Obi-branded memorabilia. The situation eventually attracted the attention of Chatham House security, and when the police were called, the individuals dispersed,” he said.
The lawyer alleged that he encountered some members of the group later on Jermyn Street, where he claimed to have witnessed a man wearing “New Democratic Congress” memorabilia paying them.
“When they saw me, they threw a few insults at me, and I smiled and simply said, ‘At least you guys have now made some small pounds to pay your bills for a few days,’ even as I walked past them,” he said.
Babalola also challenged accounts suggesting that the Chatham House engagement was poorly attended, saying the venue was filled with close to 200 participants, mostly Nigerians who had registered for the event.
He said about 374 people registered and joined the programme online, adding that physical and virtual participation reflected the level of interest generated by the engagement.
The lawyer insisted that Amupitan was not disgraced or interrupted during the session, adding that the INEC chairman fully discharged his responsibilities as a panelist.
“What happened outside the venue afterwards should not be deliberately conflated with the quality, substance or outcome of the official engagement,” he said.
He acknowledged the right of Nigerians to express political opinions and protest against public officeholders, but cautioned against portraying the actions of a few individuals as the position of an entire community.
Babalola said his intervention was intended to correct misleading accounts of the incident and not to defend any political party.
He said, “I find it particularly disappointing that some social media commentators have chosen to amplify a misleading caption without establishing the facts or understanding the context of the incident.
“There is a clear distinction between a legitimate protest and an attempt to manufacture a narrative for political propaganda.
“Let the facts speak for themselves: Professor Amupitan attended Chatham House, made his presentation, answered questions and participated in the panel discussion.
“A small group subsequently staged a demonstration outside the venue. Those two events should not be misrepresented as one, nor should the actions of a handful of individuals be attributed to Nigerians in the diaspora.”
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