- INEC chairman nominee Professor Joash Amupitan has pledged to strengthen the independence of the commission if confirmed by the Senate.
- During the screening process, Ampitan said he would explore constitutional provisions to ensure that INEC operates “without political or financial interference”.
- He identified financial constraints and a limited understanding of the law as major obstacles to council autonomy.
- Amupitan pledged to make full use of INEC’s constitutional powers and vowed to promote transparency, accountability and technology-driven reforms,
The nominee for chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has promised to strengthen the electoral body’s independence if confirmed.
Ampitan told the Senate Committee of the Whole review on Thursday that his first priority is to “explore constitutional provisions to ensure that the commission operates as a truly independent body, free from political or financial interference.”
He noted that INEC’s independence had long been compromised by “financial constraints and a lack of adequate understanding of the law by the Commission and other parts of government”, which often made it appear dependent on the executive branch, particularly on budgetary matters.
“As the electoral referee, INEC must be empowered to make decisions without external pressure to maintain the credibility of the electoral process,” he said.
Ampitan assured lawmakers that if confirmed, he would “fully utilize the powers vested in the commission by the constitution, safeguard its autonomy and strengthen its institutional capacity.”
He added that a truly independent National Electoral Commission is critical to public confidence in elections and pledged to prioritize transparency, accountability and technological innovation.
He also pledged to improve voter education, election logistics and ensure future polls are “free, fair and reflect the will of the people.”
“Nigeria’s democracy can only flourish if electoral referees operate independently and in full compliance with the spirit of the Constitution,” he concluded.
