Amupitan Vows To Restore Nigerians’ Trust In Elections

The newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, has promised to rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s elections through transparency, civic education, and technology reforms.

Speaking during his Senate confirmation in Abuja, Amupitan said he would prioritise strengthening the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, rather than abandoning them. He explained that both systems would be reviewed and improved to ensure credibility in future elections.

Amupitan said INEC would conduct a full audit of its technology and data systems to fix glitches that marred previous polls. “Our goal is to make elections so credible that even the loser will congratulate the winner,” he told lawmakers.

He pledged to make voting accessible to every eligible Nigerian, adding that logistics and technology — including the possible use of drones — would be deployed to deliver election materials to remote areas.

Amupitan also announced plans to launch a nationwide voter education campaign and create an INEC Ethics and Compliance Committee to serve as an internal watchdog against misconduct. He said the Commission would introduce a whistleblower policy to encourage staff and citizens to report malpractices without fear.

He further urged the National Assembly to support the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission with powers to investigate and prosecute election crimes, noting that the current system lacks capacity to handle such cases effectively.

On security, Amupitan said INEC would work closely with the Joint Committee on Election Security to protect election materials, officials, and voters, especially in volatile areas. He also promised fiscal discipline, strict compliance with financial laws, and a review of contradictory provisions in the Electoral Act to streamline election timelines.

The Senate confirmed Amupitan as the sixth substantive INEC Chairman since 1999, succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended recently.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio described Amupitan as qualified and credible, while Minority Leader Abba Moro and Senator Simon Lalong praised his integrity and academic record.

However, the confirmation process saw brief tension when some senators insisted that Amupitan answer questions on BVAS and IReV, despite Akpabio’s attempt to skip them.

Akpabio later urged the new INEC boss to focus on restoring credibility ahead of the 2027 elections, while condemning the conduct of local government polls across the country, which he described as “a disgrace to democracy.”