NCSCN Passes Vote Of Confidence In Amupitan

The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has passed a vote of confidence in Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Executive Director of NCSCN, Blessing Akinlosotu, made this announcement while briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja.

NCSCN is the umbrella body for nearly 1,000 NGOs and humanitarian foundations nationwide.

Akinlosotu said the vote of confidence in Amupitan was necessitated by the need to protect Nigeria’s democratic institutions amid misguided calls for the chairman’s resignation and unwarranted attacks on the integrity of INEC.

“In light of the unpatriotic and ill-motivated calls for the resignation of the INEC Chairman, the NCSCN hereby issues a resolute and unanimous vote of confidence in Amupitan.

“Our confidence is predicated on his unwavering legal integrity. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a distinguished Professor of Law, Amupitan has brought a rule-of-law-first approach to the commission.

“His refusal to bow to political pressure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) matter is proof of his commitment to judicial sanctity.

“Under his leadership, we have seen a shift from the era of ballot snatching and result manipulation towards a system where votes truly count, thanks to the safeguards built into the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

“The current focus on tackling “vote trading” i