The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), succeeding Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who served for a decade.
The confirmation followed hours of screening during Wednesday’s plenary session, according to reports by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Amupitan, a respected legal scholar from Kogi State and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, pledged to collaborate with relevant agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system.
Responding to questions from lawmakers, Amupitan clarified that he did not lead or participate in the legal team that represented President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal or the Supreme Court, dismissing circulating claims to that effect.
“It is not INEC’s responsibility alone. We have other agencies like the NCC, NIMC, and service providers to work with. This collaboration is key to providing Nigerians with a technology-driven electoral system they can trust,” Amupitan said.
He emphasized the need for a comprehensive audit of INEC’s systems, particularly in logistics, to identify weaknesses and implement effective strategies for improvement.
“We rely on third-party logistics for the transportation of election materials, but many of the vehicles are old and unreliable. We must address this to enhance efficiency,” he added.
On the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Amupitan noted that confusion about its purpose affected public expectations during the last election.
“The Supreme Court clarified that IReV is not an electronic collation system but rather a safeguard for comparison. The law still requires manual collation,” he explained.
He, however, pledged to introduce internal mechanisms and ethical training to strengthen integrity within INEC, noting that effective electoral reform must include the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission to investigate and prosecute violators.
Speaking during the session, Sen. Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) commended the appointment, expressing confidence that Amupitan would uphold transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s elections.
“This is the first time Kogi is producing an INEC chairman. We trust he will deliver results that strengthen our democracy,” Karimi said.
In his closing remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio congratulated the new INEC chairman, urging him to justify the confidence reposed in him.
“We expect his leadership to enhance transparency, ensure every vote counts, and make sure the announced winners truly reflect the people’s choice,” Akpabio stated.
