CSO Hails Amupitan’s Assurance On Electoral Integrity, Urges Support For INEC

The Foundation for Credible Elections and Good Governance Initiative has commended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, for his assurance that ballot box snatching and result manipulation will no longer define Nigeria’s electoral process.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Dr. Augustus Maduka Obum, the group described the INEC chairman’s remarks, made during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, as a reassuring commitment to electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the group, Amupitan’s confidence in the Commission’s deployment of technology to safeguard the integrity of elections signals a new era in Nigeria’s democratic process.

“Professor Amupitan has assured Nigerians that the technology deployed by INEC is robust enough to protect every vote in the 2027 general elections. This sends a strong message that the era of ballot box snatching and result manipulation is coming to an end,” the statement said.

The foundation said it had closely observed the INEC chairman’s leadership since he assumed office and expressed satisfaction with what it described as his commitment to fairness, transparency and institutional independence.

It particularly commended Amupitan for ensuring that opposition political parties involved in legal disputes were still given the necessary access codes to upload their candidates on the INEC portal, describing the decision as a demonstration of administrative courage and respect for due process.

The group maintained that the INEC chairman had shown a determination to shield the electoral process from undue political interference and uphold the rights of all political parties.

It urged opposition parties, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to support the Commission in its efforts to deliver credible elections.

The foundation also argued that many of the challenges confronting INEC over the years were largely created by political actors who violated electoral rules and later shifted responsibility to the Commission.

“If political actors play by the rules and refrain from using the judiciary to manipulate the electoral process for selfish interests, many of the avoidable crises associated with elections would not arise,” the statement added.

Describing Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as a seasoned legal practitioner with extensive institutional experience, the group expressed confidence in his ability to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system and deepen public trust in democratic institutions.

It called on Nigerians to support the INEC chairman rather than undermine public confidence in the Commission, warning political actors against actions capable of eroding the credibility of future elections.

The group stressed that credible elections remain the foundation of democratic governance and urged all stakeholders to respect INEC’s independence and allow the will of the electorate to prevail.