Opposition Lawmakers Back Amupitan’s Appointment as INEC Chairman

Federal opposition lawmakers have thrown their weight behind the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), expressing confidence that his legal and academic background will help reform Nigeria’s electoral system.

The lawmakers, under the Opposition Coalition Group in the National Assembly, said Amupitan’s appointment by President Bola Tinubu reflects a step in the right direction towards restoring credibility and professionalism in the country’s election management body.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the group’s spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the new INEC boss possesses the pedigree and integrity required to lead electoral reforms and strengthen democratic institutions.

“For us as opposition coalition lawmakers, we welcome the appointment made by the President, appointing Amupitan as the new INEC Chairman, because looking at his background in terms of academic excellence, he comes highly recommended,” Ugochinyere stated.

“He can’t fail. He has been a lecturer, a Pro-Chancellor, a lawyer, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. We have an INEC Chairman who understands the difficulty in proving election petitions and knows the loopholes in the system. He has taught it in the classroom and practiced it in the field, now he’s going to execute it.”

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The lawmakers said Amupitan’s dual experience as a legal practitioner and academic gives him an edge in addressing long-standing challenges in Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence.

“He has no reason to fail. He has all the professional qualifications required to administer a successful INEC. We don’t have any history of his bad deeds; if we did, we would have been among those to oppose his appointment,” the statement read.

They urged Nigerians to give the new INEC chairman the benefit of the doubt, judging him by his record rather than speculation.

“We need to judge the man by his past standards, and those past standards are reflected in his professional record. Let us allow him to transition into the position, then begin to assess his efforts and decisions as the days go by,” Ugochinyere added.

The opposition group described the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election as a “litmus test” for Amupitan’s capacity to lead an impartial and credible electoral process.

“The election coming up in Anambra will be a test case of his capacity to handle INEC. We believe he has every reason to succeed and no reason to fail, given his experience and understanding of the system,” Ugochinyere said.

He expressed optimism that Amupitan would leverage his extensive knowledge of election law to seal loopholes that have historically undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

“Those things he has seen and experienced in the field, he now has the capacity to correct as INEC Chairman,” the lawmaker noted.

While pledging their support for Amupitan, the lawmakers also made it clear that such support would depend on his adherence to the law and the principles of transparency.

“We welcome his appointment and will continue to support him as long as he administers INEC in strict compliance with the provisions of the law,” Ugochinyere stressed.

President Bola Tinubu had on Monday presented Amupitan’s nomination during the National Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to replace Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC Chairman ended in October 2025.

Amupitan, a respected law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, previously served as Pro-Chancellor of a federal university and has decades of experience in legal practice and academia.

His appointment has generated broad reactions from political stakeholders and civil society, with many describing it as a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy.