The Senate on Thursday confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his screening and approval through a voice vote by lawmakers.
Answering questions from the lawmakers, Amupitan, who hails from Kogi State, denied leading the legal team of President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal. He said: “I did not lead the legal team of President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal. I did not appear at the tribunal either at the Court of Appeal or at the Supreme Court.”
The new INEC boss pledged to collaborate with key institutions such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to improve the nation’s electoral processes.
“I have to audit the system if I’m given the opportunity to see what is actually wrong and whether we have what it takes as it is now.
“It is not INEC responsibility alone. We have the other agencies like NCC, NIMC and the service providers that we have to work together.
“This is to ensure that we give Nigerians the technology that everybody will be happy about.
“There will definitely be an audit of what the system, especially of the logistics and ensure that the proper strategy is put in place.
“We all know the problem. So, we’ll find a proper strategy to be able to confront those problems headlong,” he said.
Speaking on logistics challenges that have often plagued the conduct of elections, Amupitan highlighted the need for systemic reforms to improve transportation and materials management.
According to him, “Logistics is a matter that must be tackled to ensure improvement in the electoral processes. We rely on third-party logistics to transport sensitive election materials. This is because some of the vehicles you see, are old, they don’t even go too far. When they (vehicles) drop the materials, they don’t even wait to bring the materials back.”
Addressing concerns about the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Amupitan explained that the system’s purpose had previously lacked clarity.
“Not until the Supreme Court came out to say that IReV was not an electronic collation system, that issue was not properly thrashed out before the election. The IReV was supposed to be a safeguard for comparison but the laws made by this distinguished Senate did not do away with manual collations,” he said.
He further noted that IReV remains a vital transparency tool that should serve as a layer of checks and balances.
“One of the things that I will do is to work out an internal mechanism that we can use to train the behaviour of humans. In the first place, I’m taking this position on trust and the people who I’m going to work with, they must also appreciate the fact that they are there on trust,” he said.
Amupitan also called for the establishment of an electoral offences commission to investigate and prosecute individuals found guilty of violating election laws, stressing that such a body would enhance accountability and deter malpractice.
Following the screening, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put Amupitan’s nomination to a voice vote, after which the chamber unanimously approved his appointment.
“The nomination of Joash Ojo Amupitan for appointment as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission is hereby confirmed,” Akpabio declared.
Following his confirmation, Professor Amupitan is expected to assume duties without delay, overseeing preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle governorship polls and initiating plans for the 2027 general elections.
