Don’t fail Nigerians, opposition lawmakers tell Amupitan

…Back His Appointment as INEC Chairman

By Gift Chapi-Odekina

The Coalition of Opposition Lawmakers has endorsed the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing his selection as a welcome development and expressing confidence in his ability to deliver credible elections.

In a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the coalition commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it termed “a step in the right direction,” shortly after a media briefing held in Abuja.

President Tinubu had on Thursday presented Professor Amupitan’s nomination to the National Council of State for confirmation, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to October 2025.

The lawmakers described Amupitan’s appointment as “well deserved,” citing his rich academic, legal, and administrative background as a strong foundation for reforming and repositioning the nation’s electoral body.

“For us as opposition lawmakers, we welcome the appointment of Professor Amupitan as the new INEC Chairman,” the statement read. “Looking at his background in academic excellence, he comes highly recommended. He has been a lecturer, a lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and a Pro-Chancellor. He has no reason to fail.”

They noted that Amupitan’s deep understanding of electoral jurisprudence and election petitions—both in theory and practice—positions him uniquely to strengthen INEC’s institutional credibility.

“We now have an INEC Chairman who knows the difficulty in proving election petitions, understands the loopholes, and has taught and practiced electoral law,” Ugochinyere added. “He has all the professional qualifications required to administer a successful INEC.”

The lawmakers urged the new INEC Chairman to “write his name in gold” by ensuring fairness, transparency, and strict adherence to the law in all electoral processes. They also described the forthcoming Anambra and Osun governorship elections as a litmus test for his leadership.

“We believe he has every reason to succeed and no reason to fail because he has the professional experience and moral foundation to lead INEC right,” the statement continued. “We will support him as long as he continues to administer INEC in compliance with the law.”

Born and educated at the University of Jos, Professor Amupitan obtained his LL.B., LL.M., and Ph.D. in Law before being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He began his academic career in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer, became a Reader in 2003, and rose to the rank of Professor of Law in 2008.

The opposition lawmakers urged Nigerians to give the new INEC boss the benefit of the doubt and judge him by his performance rather than speculation.

“We don’t have any record of wrongdoing against him,” they said. “Let us allow him to settle into the position and begin his work. The time to judge him will come, but for now, he deserves our collective support.”

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