The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State has congratulated Prof. Joash Amupitan on his appointment as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging him to prioritise electoral reforms, transparency, and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, IPAC Secretary and Lagos State Chairperson of the Action People’s Party (APP), Mrs. Abiola Adeyemi, said Amupitan’s appointment presents an opportunity to strengthen the integrity of elections and rebuild citizens’ trust in the system.
Adeyemi noted that many Nigerians have grown disenchanted with the electoral process due to perceived irregularities, leading to voter apathy in recent elections.
“We expect the newly appointed INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to champion and strengthen electoral reforms. Let the process be transparent and let election results reflect the will of the people,” she said.
She added that Amupitan’s “biggest task” would be restoring public confidence in elections through radical transparency, particularly by ensuring the electronic transmission of results from polling units functions smoothly and legally.
The IPAC secretary further urged the new INEC boss to leverage technological innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to eliminate manipulation in the electoral process.
“He should ensure that INEC is shielded from partisan pressure and political interference. This is vital to restore confidence. Nigerians expect Prof. Amupitan to deliver credible, transparent, and fair elections, birthing an era of accountability and fairness in Nigeria’s democratic evolution,” Adeyemi added.
She also called on Amupitan to prioritise reforms that would allow Nigerians to aspire, contest, and vote without fear or intimidation, and to address the persistent challenge of vote buying and selling during elections.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday appointed Prof. Amupitan a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and professor of law as the new INEC Chairman, following the completion of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s two-term tenure, which began in November 2015.
Amupitan’s appointment was ratified by the National Council of State, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Nigeria’s electoral body amid growing calls for reform and credibility.
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