By John Alechenu, Abuja
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has said that the immediate task before the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), is to rebuild public trust in the nation’s electoral body.
National Secretary of the CUPP, Chief Peter Ameh, stated this in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to the appointment of the new INEC chairman.
According to Ameh, the appointment of Prof. Amupitan — a respected academic and legal scholar — marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, following the decade-long tenure of former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
He said, “Amupitan’s elevation carries a heavier mantle: the urgent imperative to rebuild public trust in INEC, an institution whose credibility has been severely eroded by the shadows of past electoral malfeasances.”
Ameh described the appointee as a man of integrity and apolitical disposition, noting that his nomination, which awaits Senate confirmation, also reflects a deliberate effort to promote regional balance in federal appointments.
He added that for the people of Kogi State, Prof. Amupitan’s home state, the development should be seen as a call to service and an opportunity to deliver results that transcend personal or regional interests.
The CUPP scribe highlighted Amupitan’s academic strengths in corporate governance, evidence law, and privatization, describing them as assets that could help reform INEC’s administrative and operational systems.
However, Ameh stressed that the real test of leadership for the new INEC chief would be his ability to restore the commission’s integrity and credibility in the eyes of Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the appointment comes at a time of deep public distrust in the electoral process, worsened by controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections.
Ameh noted that despite the introduction of technology through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), the 2023 polls were marred by technical failures, delays in result transmission, and widespread allegations of manipulation and vote-buying.
He said, “What was billed as Nigeria’s most technologically advanced poll devolved into a spectacle of disillusionment. BVAS glitches and poor result uploads to IReV disenfranchised millions, particularly in urban centers and opposition strongholds.”
Ameh reminded Prof. Amupitan that INEC’s credibility was at its lowest point, with a public confidence rating of only 23 percent before the 2023 elections — a figure he said declined further after the disputed announcement of President Bola Tinubu’s victory amid protests and legal challenges.
He concluded by urging the new INEC boss to provide decisive leadership that would restore integrity, transparency, and public faith in Nigeria’s electoral process.
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