The new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Ojo Amupitan faces a tough test in repositioning a commission that is dogged by controversy, low voter confidence, and credibility issues over the years.
INEC’s conduct of the 2023 general election was below expectations of many Nigerians and calls for the commission reform, including holistic amendment to the Electoral Act, has intensified ahead of the 2027 general election.
Amupitan, a professor of Law at the University of Jos, hails from Kogi State and brings decades of legal and academic experience to the role. He is expected to assume office in the coming days, subject to Senate confirmation.
Observers say his appointment marks a new chapter for Nigeria’s electoral body and across Nigeria there have been divergent views about his appointment in recent days.
However, political stakeholders and a coalition of civil society organisations working on democracy and elections in Nigeria and across Africa CSOs, say that his approval by the National Council of the State does not substitute for the constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian Senate to conduct credible and transparent elections.
President Bola Tinubu said the choice of Amupitan was based on the latter’s apolitical stance, integrity and impeccable record of service.
Amupitan, a professor of law at the University of Jos, hails from Kogi State and brings decades of legal and academic experience to the role.
Jonathan Iyieke, legal practitioner said with the nomination of Amupitan the endangered electoral system of Nigeria is going to be redeemed now under his watch.
He stated that the professor must uphold his integrity and not allow himself to be used by politicians.
According to him, “it’s high time he ruminated over the assignment and tells himself the truth whether he will throw to the dust bin all he has toiled for since he started his life in 1967, till date just because of satisfying the selfish politicians who appointed him or do the work he has been destined to deliver.
“The public are watching him; friends are watching him not because he is not good but because he is a professor, a senior advocate who has been called to serve Nigeria at a point when justice is at the slaughter house.”
Read also: INEC’s new chairman faces voter confidence test
Amupitan faces daunting challenges ahead 2027
With the 2027 general election not far away, pundits say Amupitan is assuming the leadership of INEC at a critical period for Nigeria’s electoral system.
For many the commission’s image is at the lowest ebb at the moment and its immediate task will be to restore public trust in INEC, which was severely tested during the last general election.
The delayed transmission of results through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) led to widespread criticism, with both local and international observers citing operational lapses and lack of transparency.
“Beyond technology concerns, the new chairman will also have to navigate complex legal and political challenges.
“INEC has faced increasing difficulties managing conflicting court orders, political party crises, and the conduct of off-cycle elections, all while operating under tight budgets and recurring attacks on its facilities”, Temitope Musowo, lecturer and public policy expert, told BusinessDay.
The 2023 election witnessed a surge in youth voter registration, much of it driven by political movements on social media.
However, post-election surveys indicated a wave of disillusionment among young Nigerians, many of whom felt their votes did not count.
Voter turnout has been in steady decline in Nigeria over the last one decade, and there are fears it would be the same in 2027.
Political analysts say Amupitan must rise to restore Nigerians youth confidence in the electoral system, which will be key to increasing voter turnout in 2027.
“The new INEC chairman would need to work to restore Nigerians’ confidence in the commission going forward.
“I think the lack of interest in the electoral process is generally because of the poor conduct of polls, people thinking their votes don’t count”, Anu Ogunkelu, a political scientist told BusinessDay.
According to him, “A lot of youth and Nigerians at large are not happy, but we thought that would change in the last general election with many people mobilised to register to vote, but INEC was still disappointed.”
Stakeholders react
Civil society groups and electoral stakeholders have welcomed the appointment cautiously, calling on Amupitan to assert INEC’s independence and prioritize electoral reforms.
“The new chairman must rise above political pressure and build an institution that all Nigerians can trust,” said Idayat Hassan, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
“His legal background is an asset, but Nigerians want to see results, not credentials.”
Similarly, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) urged the new leadership to engage with electoral reform bills currently before the National Assembly and to push for clearer regulations governing political parties, campaign finance, and the use of technology in elections.
Similarly, a coalition of civil society organisations working on democracy and elections in Nigeria and across Africa said they have called on the Nigerian Senate to ensure that the confirmation process is open, participatory, and transparent.
They demanded that the hearings be televised and allow for civil society and citizen engagement through memoranda, petitions, and direct participation.
They also recommended a thorough examination of the nominee’s public record, vision for electoral reform, and plans to address critical challenges such as voter registration, result transmission, and enforcement of INEC regulations.
“We reiterate our longstanding call for a transparent, inclusive, and citizen-centered appointment process that aligns with key electoral reform recommendations, including those of the Justice Uwais Report, the Ken Nnamani Committee Report, and the Citizens’ Memorandum on Electoral Reforms,” the group said in a statement.
Electoral reform overdue
Many Nigerians and political stakeholders say restoring credibility to the country’s elections will require a mix of bold reforms and efficient execution.
For them these include overhauling INEC’s logistics system, ensuring early training and deployment of electoral officers, expanding voter education, and improving the security of election infrastructure particularly in areas affected by insurgency and banditry.
There are also calls for legislative backing to guarantee INEC’s financial autonomy, which advocates say is essential for shielding the commission from executive influence.
Obiageli Ezekwesili, former presidential candidate, said that it was time that INEC get it funding directly from the consolidated fund, while the commission is and unbundled for operational efficiency.
The former minister seeks the removal of the power to appoint INEC chairman from the president, strengthening of the results collation mechanism, change in appointment of INEC commissioner’s procedure, strong penalty for electoral offenders.
She equally pointed out that there should be codification of the results transmission process from the polling unit among others.
She called upon the National Judiciary Commission to discipline judges who undermine the electoral system by giving frivolous rulings and colluding with politicians.
“Case exceeding the timeline should not be allowed. We need a specialised court for election cases in Nigeria urgently and judges should be randomly picked for these cases to check manipulation”, Ezekwesili said.
Also speaking last week at an electoral reform webinar, Patrick Utomi, said that the current electoral system in Nigeria was shambolic and noted that it was impossible for democracy to grow in the country.
While seeking urgent reform, Utomi pointed out that governments who come to power through fraudulent polls lack legitimacy, and could have adverse effects on governance and such a country’s stability.
Background
Before his appointment, Amupitan served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos and has authored several publications on corporate law and governance.
He holds the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and is regarded as one of the leading voices in legal academia.
He is expected to outline his vision for INEC in his maiden address upon assumption of office.
