The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has pledged to prioritise the reduction of pre-election litigations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking at the 56th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) on Monday at the University of Abuja, Prof. Amupitan emphasised that adherence to party constitutions and the Electoral Act would significantly cut down the number of court cases that precede elections.
“The Guardian” reports that INEC recorded over 1,000 pre-election cases before the 2023 polls.
Amupitan said, “My desire is that if we get the law right, even the losers will congratulate the winner. If political parties follow their constitution, the Electoral Act, and the Constitution, I can assure you, pre-election litigations will diminish.”
He noted that strengthening internal party democracy, enforcing compliance with electoral guidelines, and promoting early dispute resolution were key to reducing legal conflicts.
The INEC boss also called on the National Assembly to strengthen the nation’s electoral legal frameworks to ensure credible and transparent polls. While acknowledging that some legal practitioners might be unhappy with fewer pre-election cases, he said the move was necessary to enhance fairness, credibility, and public trust in the electoral process.
Prof. Amupitan, who was sworn in last week by President Bola Tinubu as the sixth substantive INEC chairman, described the NALT conference as “a gathering of brilliant minds,” urging young law lecturers to uphold integrity and professionalism in advancing justice and democracy.
Earlier, NALT President, Prof. John Akintayo, and Conference Chairman, Prof. Uwakwe Abugu, highlighted the importance of law in promoting inclusive growth, good governance, and economic sustainability, with discussions focusing on agriculture, artificial intelligence, and legal reforms.
