The Senate has confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and law scholar from the University of Jos, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
His confirmation followed a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio after a rigorous screening session on Thursday.
Amupitan, who succeeds Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was accompanied to the National Assembly by Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo and other dignitaries. During his screening, he outlined an ambitious reform agenda aimed at restoring public trust in the electoral process and strengthening institutional integrity within INEC.
He pledged to conduct a comprehensive audit of the 2023 general elections, focusing on logistics and transparency, and to introduce a whistleblower policy, an internal ethics committee, and stricter accountability systems.
“We will set up an ethical committee to review past complaints and ensure action is taken. Trust and transparency will define our leadership,” Amupitan said.
He also proposed the use of drones for election logistics and security, enhanced voter education, and collaboration with the National Assembly to establish an Electoral Offences Commission. Addressing concerns over real-time result transmission, Amupitan called for legislative clarity to eliminate ambiguities in the Electoral Act.
The new INEC chairman assured Nigerians that under his leadership, elections would be credible, transparent and inclusive, ensuring that “no voter will be left behind.”
With his confirmation, Amupitan will now oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lay the foundation for the 2027 general elections.