Political parties across the country including the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have expressed support for the proposal by the newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, to review the participation of university lecturers in election management.
The parties described the initiative as a timely and necessary step towards restoring credibility and transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Following a rigorous three-hour screening session on Thursday, the Senate confirmed Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of Law at the University of Jos, as the new INEC Chairman. He succeeds Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended after two terms.
During the screening, some senators raised concerns over the integrity of university professors who had previously served as returning officers in elections, accusing some of failing ethical tests. Responding, Amupitan said while he would not make an immediate decision, he would review the entire process upon assuming office.
“We will review the entire process and ensure that those who handle election results are not only competent but credible,” he assured.
Returning officers often drawn from the academic community are responsible for collating results and declaring winners at constituency levels. However, several controversies in recent elections have cast doubts on their impartiality, with cases of result falsification and wrongful declarations.
A notable case is that of Prof. Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo, who was sentenced to three years in prison by an Akwa Ibom State High Court for falsifying results during the 2019 elections.
APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, commended the move, describing it as a reform-driven decision.
“Being a professor does not make one infallible. If the INEC chairman believes a review is necessary to ensure fairness and justice, he should be supported,” Ibrahim said.
The PDP National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, also welcomed the idea but called for inclusiveness in the review process.
“Being a professor does not automatically mean integrity. There are credible individuals in civil society and other sectors who can serve effectively,” he said.
“If professors are to remain involved, let universities recommend those with proven integrity not political appointees handpicking names.”
Similarly, NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, stressed that INEC should prioritise transparency and technological improvements in the collation and transmission of results.
“The new chairman should focus on securing result transmission from polling units to avoid tampering. That’s where reforms should begin,” he said.
The Senate session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, featured probing questions about Amupitan’s integrity, past affiliations, and vision for electoral reform.
Akpabio disclosed that Amupitan had been cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Police Force, confirming he had no criminal record.
Amupitan, addressing rumours that he was part of President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 legal defence team, categorically denied the claim.
“I was never part of President Tinubu’s legal team. The record of counsel is public and verifiable,” he clarified, earning applause from senators.
Unveiling his reform blueprint, Amupitan promised a comprehensive audit of the 2023 general elections, focusing on logistics, ethics, and institutional accountability.
“We will carry out a thorough audit of our operations to identify what went wrong. Trust and ethics will be our foundation,” he said.
He announced plans to establish an Ethics and Accountability Committee within INEC and introduce a whistleblower policy to expose internal corruption.
“Too many complaints have been ignored. That will change under my leadership,” he vowed.
Amupitan also said INEC would work with the National Assembly to establish an Electoral Offences Commission to investigate and prosecute electoral crimes.
He further emphasised the need to upgrade logistics, lamenting that many INEC vehicles used to transport election materials were in poor condition.
“If necessary, we’ll deploy drones to ensure sensitive materials reach remote areas,” he stated.
Addressing the contentious issue of real-time electronic transmission, Amupitan explained that the current Electoral Act does not explicitly mandate it.
“The Supreme Court has ruled that INEC’s Result Viewing Portal is not part of the official collation system. We need legislative clarity on this,” he said.
He pledged to prioritise voter education, capacity building, and public enlightenment campaigns to rebuild trust in elections.
“We must make Nigerians believe again that their votes matter,” he said.
“Every kobo appropriated to INEC will be accounted for. We will cut waste and ensure funds are used strictly for their intended purposes.”
The Senate eventually confirmed Amupitan’s appointment with a unanimous voice vote.
“The nominee is hereby confirmed,” Akpabio declared. “Conduct elections where every vote will count.”
Civil society leaders welcomed the planned review of academics’ roles in election management.
Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, noted that integrity should be the key qualification, not academic status.
“Integrity isn’t tied to any profession. What matters is a record of honesty and service delivery,” he said.
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