INEC at a Crossroads: Can the New Chairman Restore Credibility to Nigeria’s Democracy?

INEC at a Crossroads: Can the New Chairman Restore Credibility to Nigeria’s Democracy?

By Tom FredFish

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) marks a decisive moment in Nigeria’s political history. After a decade of controversial leadership under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Nigerians are demanding not just a new chairman but a new direction.

This appointment arrives in the shadow of profound public disappointment. The 2023 general elections, which were expected to be the most technologically advanced and credible in Nigeria’s history, instead became a symbol of institutional betrayal. Today, the question is clear: Will this new INEC leadership finally restore the sanctity of the vote, or will history repeat itself?

The Legacy of Failure: How the Last Chairman Lost Public Trust

Prof. Yakubu’s tenure 2015 to 2025 began with optimism but ended with outrage. Despite introducing innovations like BVAS and electronic transmission, his leadership allowed powerful forces to manipulate outcomes and undermine transparency.

The 2023 general elections exposed INEC’s weaknesses some of which are failure to upload results in real time as promised, logistical chaos and technical sabotage, collusion with political actors, selective enforcement of electoral rules, and court-ordered reversals of numerous flawed results.

The damage went beyond the ballot box. Nigerians lost confidence not just in INEC, but in democracy itself. Many now believe elections are predetermined and that the system serves those in power rather than the people.

Who Is Prof. Joash Amupitan?

Prof. Amupitan, 58, is a respected law professor, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and expert in corporate governance and evidence law. He is the first INEC Chairman from Kogi State and is widely regarded as disciplined and principled. However, Nigeria has seen “men of integrity” enter public office before only to bend under political pressure. The question is not his resume. The question is his resolve.

The Tasks Before Him: Reform or Ruin

To rebuild INEC, Prof. Amupitan must confront deep-rooted institutional decay. His mission is not administrative it is constitutional, moral, and historic. First, he should restore public trust. Nigerians no longer believe INEC is neutral. Trust must be rebuilt through transparency, consistency, and accountability not speeches. Secondly is to instill discipline in party politics. Political parties have turned primaries into auctions. INEC must enforce internal democracy, regulate candidate selection, and sanction lawlessness. A credible election cannot emerge from corrupt primaries. Third, INEC should remain truly neutral. Perhaps the biggest test is for INEC to stop aligning with the ruling party. Nigerians are tired of electoral umpires that behave like government agencies. Prof. Amupitan must show that no political party owns INEC; opposition parties will be treated fairly; and ensure that pressure from the executive will be resisted. Fourth, protect electoral technology. BVAS and IReV were sabotaged in 2023. Technology is only credible if it cannot be turned off when results are inconvenient. The new chairman must guarantee a mandatory real-time result transmission, ensure that the public have access to polling data, build a strong cybersecurity and backup systems. Lastly the electoral umpire must strengthen its independence so as to reclaim its constitutional autonomy to ensure independent logistics and staffing, transparent budgeting and collaborate with civil society and observers.

The Stakes: Democracy or Decline

Nigeria cannot afford another electoral disaster. When elections lose credibility, governments lose legitimacy and instability follows. If INEC fails again, voter apathy will deepen, political violence may rise, and democracy itself may be questioned. Prof. Amupitan is stepping into the most difficult job in Nigeria outside the presidency. But he also has a rare opportunity to become the reformer who saved the ballot.

Conclusion: History Is Watching

This is not just about one man. It is about whether Nigeria is ready to build a democracy that works, or continue recycling disappointment. The failures of the past chairman must not be repeated. Nigerians will no longer accept excuses, technical glitches, or quiet alignments with those in power.

Prof. Joash Amupitan must choose between comfort and courage, popularity and principle, compromise and conviction. INEC does not need another chairman, it needs a guardian of democracy. If he stands firm, he will be remembered as the man who restored faith in the vote. If he fails, future generations may inherit a democracy in name only. The nation is watching. The world is watching. And this time, accountability will be demanded.

Dr. Tom FredFish is a Journalist, Public Affairs Analyst and Political Commentator