Tinubu swears in Prof Amupitan as INEC chairman
By Jeffrey Agbo
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday swore in Professor Joash Amupitan as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Tinubu charged him to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and electoral process as well as strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC.
He said, “As the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, your nomination to the important role and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate is a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arm of government. The significant achievement marked the beginning of a challenging yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibilities with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism.
“Our democracy has come a long way. In 25 years, we have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly our electoral system, through innovation and reforms. We have learned a great deal along the way, and have improved significantly from where we were many years ago.
“We must now remain committed to the principles that underpin democracy in a complex, multifaceted society.
“The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy, safeguarding the people’s exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral system must be beyond reproach. It is important that our elections are free, fair and credible.
“We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow. To maintain public trust in elections, electoral integrity must be protected. All aspects of the process, from registration to campaigning, immediate access, voting and counting should be transparent, non-violent and be credible.
“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 official setbacks.
“I therefore charge you, Professor, as you take on this important assignment to protect the integrity of our elections and electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC.”
Amupitan arrived at the State House on Thursday morning accompanied by some presidential aides.
The 58-year-old was screened by the Senate on October 16.
Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu at INEC. He thus becomes the sixth substantive head of the electoral body since its establishment.
