Iyobosa Uwugiaren contends that while it might make sense to appoint a principled man as the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigerians need to be persuaded that modifications are genuine and warrant their confidence.
What really informed the recent appointment of the new INEC Chairman, Professor Joash OjoAmupitan (SAN), by President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking second term in office – with strong oppositions, working day and night to kick him out of office in the 2027 general elections? Could it be that the President is truly interested in free, fair and credible elections – as he recently alluded?
At the swearing-in ceremony held at the State House Council Chamber recently, President Tinubu admonished Professor Amupitan, SAN, to serve with integrity and beyond reproach.
“Your nomination and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arms of government.
“This significant achievement marks the beginning of a challenging, yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibility with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism,” the President said.
President Tinubu noted that the country had been on a path of democratic governance and learning since 1999, with notable achievements in the strengthening of various institutions.
He added, “Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years. We have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly in electoral systems, through innovations and reforms.
“We have learned a great deal along the way and have improved significantly from where we were many years ago. We must now remain committed to the principles that underpin democracy in a complex and multifaceted society.
“The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy that grants the people the exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral process must be beyond reproach.”
President Tinubu stated that the governorship election on November 8, 2025, in Anambra State will serve as a litmus test for the new leadership of the new INEC chairman
“It is important that our elections are free, fair and credible. We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow.
“To maintain public trust in the election, electoral integrity must be protected. All aspects of the process – from registration to campaigning, the media access, voting and counting should be transparent, non–violent and credible’’, Tinubu advised.
However, in a tempestuous, polluted and corrupt political echo system, which currently exists in the country, not many political analysts and observers doubt that Tinubu’s advice to the new INEC boss is sheer grandiloquence.
Yes, everyone – including his colleagues in the university community, his students and others – who know him very well, have attested to the strong moral principles and values – even in challenging situations, of Professor Amupitan.
Going by several testimonies – since he got the new job, Amupitan is said to have demonstrated high standards of honesty, fairness, and transparency in academic and personal endeavors. He is said to have taken ownership of actions, decisions, and their impact on students, colleagues, and the institution, where he had worked.
Like someone put it, ‘’He thinks critically, logically, and analytically, with a sound and balanced perspective, possessing a deep understanding of his field, with a keen sense of judgement and decision-making.’’
Amid all these sound values, some nihilists have argued that it will be absolutely impossible for Prof Amupitan to discharge his assignments – in line with his principles without running into trouble – especially in a political space where the political hawks fest.
While the new INEC chairman may have sworn to obey his conscience – in performing his assignments, there are many challenges he would have to contend with, especially as the nation approaches 2027 general elections.
The nation’s electoral systems have grasped recent updates and tenacious trials, including the application of new technology and issues concerning transparency and violence.
For example, the existing Electoral Act makes provision for Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) – this device validates voters using fingerprints or facial recognition and transmits polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. The INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal is designed to improve result management, enhance transparency, and increase public confidence by allowing the public to view copies of polling unit results.
The Act also redefined over-voting and placed a high burden of proof on petitioners. Aggrieved contestants are now required to provide polling unit results (Form EC8A), BVAS machines, and the voter register to prove that the number of votes cast exceeded the number of accredited voters and other reforms.
However, in spite of these conspicuous reforms, issues of electoral fraud, including rigging and vote-buying, have continued to dominate conversations around electoral systems. For instance, the legitimacy of the 2023 general elections was stubbornly contested by both the local and international observers.
Perhaps, that is why despite the recent appointment of ‘’Professor Integrity’’ as the INEC chairman, many sound political scholars have continued to argue that the President’s power to appoint the leadership of INEC is a direct action to compromise the commission’s independence.
Another issue is the persistent deterioration in voters turnout, which some have attributed to a ‘’lack of public trust.’’ Observers said that the outcome of the 2023 elections was a major factor in the lack of confidence. This can partly be seen in the electoral violence and intimidation, where violent incidents were recorded in several states. To this end, many maintain that Prof Amupitan would have to wrestle with many roguish political demons to be able to act according to his principles.
But, there are those who believe that the INEC chairman may go far if he starts working with the civil society and other stakeholders in order to consistently push for further electoral reforms to address the noticeable persistent challenges.
According to them, the National Assembly needs to be pushed to accelerate the amendment to the Electoral Act – to address those issues that came up from the last general elections.
Following the 2023 elections, there have been pronounced renewed calls for accountability for electoral offences to deter future electoral fraud. Recent judicial pronouncements have influenced electoral jurisprudence, particularly concerning the requirements for proving over voting. And Senator Seriake Dickson’s recent argument on the way to go seems to be resonating with many stakeholders.
The former Bayelsa State governor and member of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, recently called for a fundamental reform of Nigeria’s electoral framework to reinforce transparency and accountability in the conduct of elections.
Dickson said one of the key proposals under discussion in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act is to ensure that the burden of proof in election disputes rests with the INEC rather than with candidates or political parties.
“The burden of proof in electoral matters must shift to INEC. That is where it rightly and properly belongs,” Dickson said. “We should not subject it to the normal evidential rule that says, he who alleges must prove. How can you prove something you don’t even know?’’
There is also a suggestion that the voter register should be clear up and increase access to polling units in collaboration with national identification agencies and revamp civic education, especially for rural voters, to increase understanding of the electoral process and the importance of participation.
To improve Nigeria’s electoral laws, recent proposals and reforms from various stakeholders must focus on increasing transparency, strengthening independent institutions, and expounding legal and administrative processes. The National Assembly is advised to move very fast to work in passing a new electoral bill – incorporating many of these recommended changes.
The contributions by civil society organizations and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) make sense to many electoral stakeholders. They have proposed unbundling of the INEC. The current structure according to them, tasks INEC with three major responsibilities: conducting elections, regulating political parties, and prosecuting electoral offenders.
They proposed a reform that would transfer political party registration and regulation to an independent authority, and create a separate body to prosecute electoral offenses, and allow the INEC to focus its resources on its core mandate of election management.
In all, there is a sound argument for the enhancement of electoral technology and transparency. The current Electoral Act makes provision for electronic transmission of results, but experts have argued that the vagueness surrounding its implementation led to issues in the 2023 general election. They therefore suggested that the new bill currently before the National Assembly should provide clearer legal backing for the use of electronic technology for transmitting election results.
Several calls have been made for INEC to strengthen its digital infrastructure and expand its result management processes to minimalize errors and reduce opportunities for manipulation. Amending the Electoral Act to extend the 21-day deadline for filing election petitions, according to sound legal minds, may allow more realistic timelines for case preparation.
On regulating campaign finance, there is a compelling argument that the current electoral framework has shortcomings regarding campaign financing, with some suggesting that new legislation could ban the use of state resources for campaigns and strictly enforce regulations on party and candidate funding.
As Professor Amupitan settles down for work, he should bear in mind that there is an ongoing conversation over a single, worldwide definition of electoral integrity — “any election that is based on the democratic principles of universal suffrage and political equality as reflected in international standards and agreements, and is professional, impartial, and transparent in its preparation and administration throughout the electoral cycle.”
There is a general consensus that without ‘’electoral integrity, leaders and officials lack accountability to the public, confidence in the election results is weak, and the government lacks necessary legitimacy.’’ That, perhaps, account for the current situation in Nigeria.
More so, electoral integrity allows for non violent determination of conflict, open dialogue, conversation, and information sharing among political leaders, political parties and members of the public. People must have confidence in electoral and political processes. While it might make sense to appoint a principled man as the head of the electoral institution, Nigerians need to be persuaded that modifications are genuine and warrant their confidence.
To make sure that electoral process has integrity, other dynamics outside of the electoral institutions need to be taken into account and reinforced. In other words, election officials, judicial officials (judges) and courts must have independence that is respected by all electoral stakeholders. These are the challenges the new INEC chairman face currently. How far can he go?
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