INEC Boss Faces Fresh Hurdle To Renew Public Confidence

The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan, has been urged by opposition parties to place priority on building public trust over political loyalty,

This, the opposition parties said, will restore confidence in the country’s electoral system, which has been damaged as a result of controversies and inconsistencies from the 2023 general elections.

Bola Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made this plea on Friday, saying the new INEC Boss “must understand that his loyalty is with the Nigerian people, not the government.”

He noted that the party was ready to give Amupitan the benefit of doubt, taking cognisance of his track record, but advised him to seize this golden moment to build a lasting legacy.

He said, “He now has the chance to make a good name for himself that his children will be proud of, or to soil his record and end up with ignominy. He should also bear in mind that his tenure will ordinarily last beyond one electoral cycle, and he must therefore look beyond the interest of those who appointed him,” Abdullahi stated.

Correspondingly, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) asked the new INEC Chairman to quickly restore lost public trust in the commission, noting that its credibility has been tainted with allegations of irregularities in previous elections.

CUPP’s National Secretary, Peter Ameh, stated the new INEC boss “comes to the job with a record of integrity and academic distinction that can help reposition the commission as a truly independent electoral umpire.”

He added that, “Prof Amupitan’s scholarly depth in corporate governance, evidence law, and privatisation uniquely equips him to navigate the complex terrain of electoral administration. However, Nigerians will judge him not by his credentials, but by his courage to act.”

Ameh expressed that Amupitan’s appointment comes “against a grim tableau of public distrust,” stemming from the controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections.

“What was projected as Nigeria’s most technologically advanced election,” he said, “ended as one of the most disappointing in recent history.”

The coalition noted that the 2024 polls were a failed promise as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), collapsed into a spectacle of glitches and disillusionment. Technical failures, it said, rendered BVAS machines inoperable across several polling units, disenfranchising many voters, especially in opposition strongholds.

CUPP complained that less than 25 per cent of polling unit results were uploaded to IReV in real time, a lapse that fuelled allegations of manipulation and opacity. Domestic and international observers, it said, documented cases of vote buying, over-voting, and result falsification, while civic groups accused the commission of poor planning and communication.

The coalition advised Amupitan to prioritise technological integrity, transparency, and collaboration with stakeholders.

“INEC must immediately begin a rigorous audit and revalidation of BVAS and IReV systems ahead of off-cycle elections,” Ameh advised. “Procurement must be transparent, logistics efficient, and engagement with political parties and civil society continuous.”

CUPP urged the new INEC leadership to urgently revisit the Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais Electoral Reform Report (2008), which highlighted five key causes of Nigeria’s electoral dysfunction: state interference, weak institutions, toxic political culture, legal loopholes, and compromised autonomy.

“Amupitan has the pedigree to revive this failing institution,” Ameh said. “He must be guided by the omoluabi ethos: character, courage, and conscience. Only then can INEC truly belong to Nigerians, not to any party or president.”

The Labour Party Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, urged INEC and other relevant institutions to verify and verify and authenticate the academic and professional certificates of all political candidates before the 2027 general elections.

“Certificate Integrity and the Future of Nigerian Leadership,” Obi said the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy depends on truth and transparency in leadership selection.

He lauded the resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over discrepancies in his academic records, noting it as “a decent and honourable step.”

He also recalled that former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, resigned under similar circumstances during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“These instances remind us that such matters are not trivial; they constitute serious criminal offences,” Obi said.

He urged INEC to begin immediate verification of all certificates submitted by candidates, from the presidency down to local government councillors, to ensure integrity in the 2027 elections.

“It is appalling that our electoral body carries out little or no due diligence in confirming certificates submitted by candidates. Continuous discrepancies, false declarations, and forged credentials undermine the credibility of our democracy,” He stated.

.“INEC has enough time to investigate past complaints about various forms of forgery and false claims. Every incumbent and aspiring candidate must submit all academic certificates immediately for verification and public accessibility,” he stated.