President Bola Tinubu on Thursday swore in Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with a charge to deliver credible, transparent, and globally respected elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that the oath of office was administered during an expanded meeting of the National Economic Council held at the State House Council Chambers in Abuja.
Tinubu tasked the new electoral chief with safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and strengthening INEC’s institutional capacity.
“It is important that our elections are free, fair, and credible,” the President said. “We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow.”
He stressed that protecting electoral integrity is crucial to maintaining public confidence.
“All aspects of the process — from registration to campaigning, voting, and counting — should be transparent, non-violent, and credible,” Tinubu added.
“No electoral system is flawless. But since elections are vital to a nation’s future, it is essential to continually strengthen electoral institutions, ensuring they are robust, resilient, and safeguarded against artificial setbacks.”
The President also emphasized the need to align Nigeria’s electoral practices with international standards.
“I therefore charge you, Prof. Amupitan, to take on this important assignment to protect the integrity of our elections and strengthen INEC’s institutional capacity,” he said.
Responding after the swearing-in, Amupitan pledged to uphold the President’s directive and work collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver credible polls.
“Like the President said, I was given a clear charge to ensure credible, fair, and free elections,” Amupitan said.
“Not just that I will ensure that is done, I’m also going to engage all the stakeholders. Because no matter how you set the barometer for success, you still need all stakeholders to succeed.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Amupitan’s appointment followed unanimous approval by the National Council of State, after his nomination by President Tinubu and confirmation by the Senate.
A Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014, with expertise in company law, corporate governance, evidence, and privatization law.
His immediate tasks as INEC Chairman include overseeing the Anambra governorship election slated for November and the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 2026.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and other top government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Head of Civil Service, Didi Walson-Jack.
