At the helm of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is now Joash Ojo Amupitan, who was officially sworn in and promptly declared electoral integrity “non-negotiable”. During his inauguration, accompanied by Bola Tinubu, he stressed that every voter’s voice must matter and that the commission’s credibility hinges on stakeholder trust.
The President explicitly charged Amupitan with delivering “free, fair and credible elections” in this electoral cycle, emphasizing that the upcoming November 8 governorship election in Anambra State will serve as a litmus test.
Amupitan’s agenda signals reform: he emphasised internal efficiency, staff welfare, stakeholder collaboration, and technology adoption — aiming to rebuild public confidence and end cynicism about electoral manipulation. He pledged to “break down silos” within INEC and forge unity in execution. But the path ahead is steep. The commission must tackle voter apathy, logistical bottlenecks, political interference, and enforce results transparency. Civil society organisations say Amupitan must build on prior innovations (like BVAS and IReV) and guard them from regression. Without visible progress, Nigeria’s democratic momentum could stall.