The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has called for stronger national consensus, enhanced collaboration, and sustained civic engagement to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.
Prof. Amupitan made the remarks at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room’s 9th annual National Stakeholders’ Forum on Elections, held at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, themed “Securing Nigeria’s Democracy: Building Consensus for Credible Elections and Accountable Governance.”
Describing the forum as a “vital national space for meaningful dialogue,” he warned that Nigeria’s democracy faces constant threats from misinformation, electoral malpractice, and violence.
He stressed that credible elections, underpinned by collective adherence to rules by political parties, media, civil society, security agencies, and INEC, are essential to democratic stability.
“Accountable governance naturally flows from credible elections,” Prof. Amupitan said, noting that legitimacy empowers citizens to hold leaders to higher standards.
He highlighted the Commission’s use of technology under the Electoral Act 2022, including the BVAS device for voter accreditation and the IReV portal for real-time result verification, as key tools to enhance transparency.
However, he acknowledged challenges with telecommunications infrastructure, which hinder real-time result uploads from the country’s 176,000 polling units. INEC is exploring alternative solutions in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The Chairman expressed concern over declining voter participation, pointing to the 27% turnout in the 2023 general elections.
He cited Anambra State’s targeted outreach, which increased PVC collection from 63.9% to 98.8%, as evidence that improved mobilisation is achievable through partnerships with civil society and community leaders.
Prof. Amupitan also provided an update on the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, revealing that INEC has recorded 2,685,725 completed registrations, including 1,576,137 online pre-registrations and 1,109,588 physical captures.
Osun State leads with 208,357 new registrations, followed by Kano (159,669), Sokoto (152,650), and Imo (145,561), while Lagos and Borno each recorded over 123,000.
The Commission is preparing for the 2026 Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory, set for February 21, which will conclude the four-year tenure of the six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councillors elected in 2022.
Prof. Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s partnership with security agencies through ICCES to combat vote-buying and voter intimidation and urged civil society to continue monitoring compliance, promoting voter education, and holding political actors accountable.
“Building credible elections is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing commitment to innovation, transparency, and resilience,” he said, urging democratic leaders to focus on long-term national interest, quoting Simon Sinek: “Leadership is not about the next election; it’s about the next generation.”