Amupitan Assumes INEC Leadership, Vows Credible Elections Where Losers Congratulate Winners

The newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), has promised to deliver elections so transparent that losing candidates will willingly congratulate their opponents.

Speaking before and after his confirmation by the Senate, Amupitan pledged to collaborate with agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.

“Our ultimate goal is to make elections so credible that even the loser can congratulate the winner in good faith, just as both sides accept a judge’s verdict as fair and just” he said during his screening.

Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, faced a rigorous three-hour screening where senators questioned him on integrity, technology, and electoral reform. Afterward, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put his confirmation to a voice vote that passed without opposition, urging him to ensure that “every vote counts.”

With this approval, Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who led INEC for ten years before leaving office on October 7, 2025.

Before the session began at 12:50 p.m., Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved that Order 12 be suspended to admit the nominee into the chamber, seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro.

In his remarks, Akpabio confirmed that Amupitan had been vetted and cleared by the Department of State Services, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Inspector-General of Police, with no criminal record found.

When asked about his alleged involvement in political legal teams, the Kogi-born scholar clarified, “I did not lead or appear in any legal team for the President, the Peoples Democratic Party, or the Labour Party. I was not a member of any team.”

On improving election credibility, Amupitan outlined plans to establish internal monitoring mechanisms within INEC, audit the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal, and strengthen the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to rebuild public confidence after the 2023 election glitches.

He also pledged to form an Ethics and Compliance Committee, introduce a whistle-blower policy and create an electoral offences commission to investigate and prosecute misconduct.

Amupitan emphasized that credible logistics and technology partnerships with agencies like NIMC, NCC and security bodies will ensure secure, inclusive elections.

“In summary, our approach will rest on integrity, accountability, security, efficiency, and education so that every Nigerian’s vote truly counts” he affirmed.