By our reporter
The newly confirmed Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has pledged to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process, promising a new era of transparency, accountability, and technological innovation.
Speaking during his Senate confirmation on Thursday, Prof. Amupitan made a bold declaration that under his leadership, elections in Nigeria will be so credible “that even the loser will congratulate the winner.”
Our goal is simple but powerful – to deliver elections so transparent, so free, and so fair that even those who lose at the polls will have no choice but to accept the outcome and congratulate the winner, Amupitan stated.
Professor Amupitan, a legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, outlined a comprehensive reform agenda for the electoral body. His plan includes the establishment of an Ethics and Compliance Committee within INEC to investigate and address internal misconduct, as well as a renewed commitment to prosecuting electoral offenders.
In response to public concerns over past election irregularities, including the controversial 2023 general elections, Amupitan promised a full audit of INEC’s systems – particularly the IReV (INEC Result Viewing) portal, which failed to meet expectations during the last polls.
He also emphasized the need to work with key agencies like the National Identity Management Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission to ensure reliable data systems and network infrastructure ahead of future elections.
Addressing the recurring logistical failures that have plagued Nigerian elections, the new INEC chairman revealed plans to deploy advanced technology – including the possible use of drones – to reach remote and hard-to-access regions.
We will not shy away from innovation. We will harness technology not only for voting and results transmission but also for logistics, training, and voter education, Amupitan said.
Furthermore, he reiterated the importance of transparency and internal discipline within INEC itself, stating that electoral integrity begins with the institution charged with managing the process.
Professor Amupitan also called for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, a long-standing recommendation by electoral reform committees. He stressed that prosecuting vote-buying, rigging, and other electoral crimes must be taken out of INEC’s hands and entrusted to an independent body with prosecutorial powers.
If we are truly serious about credible elections, then we must back our words with laws that empower institutions to punish offenders, no matter how highly placed, he said.
While Amupitan’s vision has been met with cautious optimism, many observers say he faces an uphill battle. Years of electoral controversies, logistical breakdowns, and allegations of bias have eroded public trust in INEC.
However, civil society groups and some political analysts believe that his legal background and apparent willingness to confront difficult issues could mark a turning point if backed by political will and genuine independence.
As Nigeria prepares for key off-cycle elections and eventually the 2027 general polls, all eyes will be on Prof. Amupitan and his leadership. His vow to deliver elections that leave even losers satisfied sets a high bar one that could redefine democratic participation in Africa’s most populous nation.
Whether that vision becomes reality will depend not just on reforms and rhetoric, but on implementation, resilience, and public trust.
