President Bola Tinubu on Thursday swore in Professor Joash Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission at a brief ceremony held in the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The oath of office was administered at exactly 1:50 p.m. by the President, who urged the incoming electoral chief to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and bolster the institutional strength of the commission ahead of future polls.
Amupitan, a 58-year-old professor of law from Kogi State, arrived at the State House earlier in the morning dressed in a crisp white agbada and gold cap. He exchanged pleasantries with presidential aides, dignitaries, and guests before proceeding to the chamber for the formal investiture.
His appointment marks the end of a transitional period at INEC following the expiration of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s ten-year tenure on October 7.
The swearing-in comes one week after the Senate confirmed Amupitan’s nomination on October 16, following a rigorous screening session where he outlined an ambitious reform agenda.
Addressing lawmakers, he pledged to restore public trust in the electoral process by ensuring outcomes so credible that “even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly.’
” He emphasized tightening provisions in the Electoral Act, enhancing transparency in election timelines, and improving result management systems to eliminate doubts that have plagued recent cycles.
Amupitan is also committed to strengthening INEC’s operational independence and collaborating with technology partners to resolve persistent glitches, particularly with the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which faced widespread criticism during the 2023 general elections.
He promised a comprehensive audit of the platform and closer coordination with agencies like the Nigerian Communications Commission and National Identity Management Commission to guarantee reliable biometric and digital infrastructure for future votes.
During the screening, senators pressed the nominee on allegations linking him to President Tinubu’s legal team in the 2023 election petition case. Amupitan firmly denied any involvement, stating unequivocally, “I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties.”
He stressed his commitment to neutrality, a declaration that appeared to satisfy the upper chamber, paving the way for his unanimous confirmation.
The new chairman succeeds Yakubu as the sixth substantive head of INEC since its establishment. His nomination had earlier received the endorsement of the National Council of State on October 9. Immediately after the oath-taking, Amupitan is expected to proceed to the INEC headquarters in Abuja to assume full duties and initiate a smooth leadership transition.
The appointment has generated cautious optimism among civil society groups and political stakeholders, many of whom see it as an opportunity to implement long-overdue reforms before the 2027 general elections.
Youth and women’s advocacy organizations have particularly welcomed Amupitan’s focus on inclusivity and technological reliability, citing the ongoing surge in voter registration, over eight million online pre-registrations recorded in the first week of the current exercise, as evidence of growing public interest that must be protected.
As Nigeria navigates a complex electoral calendar, including the Anambra governorship poll on November 8 and the FCT area council elections in February 2026, all eyes will be on Amupitan to deliver on his promise of elections that not only meet legal standards but also command universal acceptance across the political divide.
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