Rebuilding trust in INEC, the burden before Joash Amupitan

The appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and respected academic, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, offers the commission a rare chance to redeem it's image in the eyes of Nigerians and the international community. 

It is a moment that demands courage, reform, and integrity. After decades of compromised elections and repeated betrayals of public trust, the time has come for the electoral body to prove that democracy in Nigeria can still be saved from its own contradictions.

From 1999 till date, every general election in the Fourth Republic, except for the 2015 contest when former President Goodluck Jonathan conceded early to Muhammadu Buhari, has ended in controversy and litigation. The judiciary, instead of the people, has repeatedly become the ultimate decider of electoral outcomes. 

This distortion of democratic order has eroded the very meaning of elections and turned the sacred vote of the citizen into a mere procedural ritual. Professor Amupitan inherits not just a commission but a credibility crisis that threatens the foundation of Nigeria’s democracy.

The failures of the past remain vivid. Between the 1964 elections supervised by Eyo Esua and the 1983 exercise overseen by Victor Ovie-Whiskey, Nigeria’s electoral system became a byword for manipulation. 

That era’s so-called “moon-slide” victories mocked the essence of popular choice and provoked the military coup that terminated the Second Republic. The reintroduction of civil rule in 1999 under General Abdulsalami Abubakar was supposed to correct those errors, yet what followed under Abel Goubadia and Maurice Iwu deepened the rot.

The 2007 elections conducted under Iwu’s watch were so fraudulent that even the major beneficiary, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, publicly admitted that the process was deeply flawed. 

He promised to reform the system, initiated the Uwais Electoral Reform Committee, but tragically died before those noble recommendations could be implemented.

When Professor Attahiru Jega took charge in 2010, he inspired a flicker of hope. He introduced the biometric card reader and other innovations that made the 2015 general election appear relatively credible. But even that success was built more on political maturity than institutional integrity. 

Had Jonathan not accepted defeat, Nigeria might have again slid into post-election turmoil. Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure between 2015 and 2024 witnessed some technological expansion with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, but those achievements were overshadowed by the controversies of the 2023 general election.

Technical glitches, poor logistics, and delayed result uploads shattered public confidence and exposed how technology alone cannot deliver electoral justice in an environment where corruption thrives.

Professor Joash Amupitan enters this landscape at a decisive time. His academic and legal pedigree is unquestionable, but his new duty transcends scholarship; it is a test of integrity, resilience, and courage. He must reform an institution many Nigerians now perceive as captured by political interests.

The first responsibility before him is to restore trust. Nigerians must believe again that their votes count, that their choices are sacred, and that elections can produce genuine legitimacy rather than judicial verdicts. 

The forthcoming off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti, and Osun will serve as his litmus test. They will determine whether INEC under his leadership can stand above political manipulation or descend further into the swamp of compromise.

A major defect in Nigeria’s democratic architecture remains the appointment structure of INEC itself. The President, who is often a major contender in the elections, retains the power to appoint both the Chairman and Resident Electoral Commissioners, subject to Senate confirmation.

This framework breeds suspicion and conflicts of interest. No matter how upright a President may claim to be, the perception of control over the electoral umpire weakens the credibility of the process. Nigeria must urgently reform this arrangement. 

The National Assembly’s confirmation process must also be transparent and open to public scrutiny. A democracy cannot thrive when one of the players selects the referee.

Professor Amupitan must also address the internal decay within INEC. Over the years, certain Resident Electoral Commissioners have been accused of being card-carrying members of political parties, a clear violation of constitutional provisions under Section 156(1) and Paragraph 14(2) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution. 

Technology has played a transformative role in modern elections, but it is not a substitute for integrity. Machines cannot replace moral conscience. 

INEC must therefore invest as much in ethics and transparency as it does in gadgets. Electoral reform is not a technical exercise; it is a moral contract between the state and its citizens. Until those who conduct elections are held personally accountable for fraud and misconduct, no amount of technology will save the process from corruption.

Beyond structural and operational reforms, there is an urgent need to tackle voter apathy. The steady decline in turnout from 52 per cent in 1999 to less than 27 per cent in 2023 is an issue that must not be swept under the carpet. Nigerians must be reminded that abandoning the polls only empowers those who manipulate them.

The moral duty before Professor Amupitan is heavy but inescapable. He must re-establish INEC as a symbol of fairness and hope. He must defend its independence, cleanse its ranks, and rebuild its image from the ruins of doubt. 

Nigeria’s electoral integrity cannot continue to rely on goodwill or chance. The nation needs an electoral body that commands trust at home and respect abroad. It needs a leadership that is fearless in upholding the law and uncompromising in defending the people’s mandate. 

Professor Amupitan has inherited a broken institution and a sceptical electorate. His success or failure will define not only the future of INEC but the fate of Nigerian democracy itself.

The vote of every Nigerian must regain its power, and INEC must cease to be a theatre of political manipulation. Only then will this country truly breathe new life into democracy and begin the journey toward genuine freedom of choice.