The Senate on Thursday confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Amupitan’s confirmation followed a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio after an extensive screening session during which the nominee outlined his vision for transparency, accountability, and institutional reform at the commission.
Arriving at the National Assembly complex earlier in the day, Amupitan was accompanied by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, and other dignitaries. He was ushered into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, at about 12:50 p.m. Before the exercise began, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved that Order 12 be set aside to allow visitors into the chamber, a motion seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).
Welcoming the nominee, Senate President Akpabio lauded his credentials and confirmed that he had been cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force after due vetting.
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During the screening, Professor Amupitan announced plans to conduct a comprehensive audit of INEC, with particular focus on the logistics used during the 2023 general elections. He said the audit would help identify operational challenges and generate practical solutions in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. The new chairman said trust and ethical conduct would be the cornerstone of his leadership, noting that complaints made in the past would now be thoroughly reviewed and addressed.
He disclosed plans to establish an internal ethics committee, introduce a whistleblower policy, enforce strict accountability standards, and deploy technology, including drones, to enhance election logistics and security. Quoting a Supreme Court ruling, Amupitan noted that INEC’s Results Viewing Portal (IReV) was not part of the official results collation system of the commission, saying this fact was not clearly communicated to Nigerians during the 2023 elections.
Amupitan pledged to work with the National Assembly to establish an Electoral Offences Commission that would be empowered to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes. He also promised to introduce a whistleblowing policy within INEC to promote transparency and expose internal misconduct. On election security, he pledged to adopt innovative measures to ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised, even in remote areas, adding that the commission would invest in logistics to reach every part of the country — even if drones would have to be deployed.
He emphasized the importance of voter and civic education, promising aggressive enlightenment campaigns to build citizens’ confidence in the electoral process. Addressing the controversy around real-time transmission of election results, Amupitan said ambiguities in the Electoral Act must be clarified through legislative review, assuring that he would make his input where necessary to ensure the matter is properly addressed.
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The new INEC Chairman also vowed to enforce transparency in procurement and financial management within the commission. He said the existing laws on procurement and public fund management would be strictly enforced to ensure that resources are utilised for their intended purposes while efforts would be made to save costs where possible.
Following his confirmation, Amupitan is expected to assume office immediately to oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lay the groundwork for the 2027 general elections. President Bola Tinubu had nominated Amupitan earlier in the week to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu. Widely respected for his expertise in constitutional and international law, Amupitan’s appointment signals a new phase for INEC — one focused on transparency, accountability, and technological innovation.
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