Senate Confirms Amupitan As New INEC Chairman

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following an exhaustive screening session that lasted about three hours and featured probing questions from lawmakers across party lines.

Amupitan, a distinguished legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), pledged sweeping institutional reforms to restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system, vowing to create an Ethics and Compliance Committee and push for the establishment of a long-overdue Electoral Offences Commission to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes.

During his screening, which was broadcast live, senators pressed the nominee on the recurring lapses in the country’s electoral processes, including allegations of compromise by officials, logistical failures and public mistrust in election results. 

Amupitan, in his responses, offered a detailed roadmap that resonated with his central message: “To make elections so credible that even the loser will congratulate the winner.”

The new INEC boss told lawmakers that one of his first steps upon assumption of office would be to introduce an internal integrity framework to hold electoral officers accountable for misconduct.

Amupitan said: “I am taking this position on trust, and those who will work with me must also recognize that they are holding the trust of the Nigerian people.

“To maintain integrity, I intend to set up an Ethics and Compliance Committee within INEC to audit reported cases of misconduct.”

He admitted that past elections had been marred by irregularities and corruption, noting that while some offenders in Bayelsa and Adamawa States had been prosecuted, many others escaped justice. 

Amupitan pledged that such impunity would no longer be tolerated.

“We will follow through on all reported cases to ensure accountability. Electoral offences must carry consequences,” he declared, drawing applause from the chamber.

Amupitan called on the National Assembly to fast-track the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission, which he said would provide the legal and institutional muscle to curb malpractice.

He said: “The current system lacks sufficient capacity to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes.

“We need a dedicated body with the mandate and resources to handle this critical task. INEC will work closely with the legislature to achieve that.”

He further hinted at introducing a whistleblower policy within the commission, designed to protect individuals who expose corrupt practices by electoral officers. 

“People must be free to report malpractices without fear of victimization,” he noted.

Addressing questions on logistics and election-day security, the nominee acknowledged the enormous challenges posed by Nigeria’s size and diversity. 

He announced plans to strengthen coordination with the Joint Committee on Election Security to ensure protection of materials, personnel and voters.

According to him, “In high-risk areas, we will adopt innovative methods, including the possible use of drones and other secure technologies, to ensure election materials reach their destinations safely. 

“No voter will be left behind. That will be our guiding principle.” 

Amupitan also promised to overhaul INEC’s technological infrastructure, especially the electronic transmission and collation systems that had generated controversy in previous elections. 

“We will assess the existing systems, review the technology and adopt what best enhances transparency and credibility,” he told the lawmakers.

thewyreng