Prof Amupitan’s immediate task is rebuilding public confidence in INEC – CUPP
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By John Alechenu, Abuja
The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has said the immediate task before the newly appointed National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Ojo Amupitan (SAN), is to rebuild public trust in the institution.
Read Also: Council of State approves appointment of Prof. Amupitan as INEC Chairman
National Secretary of the CUPP, Chief Peter Ameh, said this in Abuja, on Thursday.
He noted that the appointment of the seasoned academic marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey after the decade long tenure of former INEC boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Ameh said: “Amupitan’s elevation carries a heavier mantle: the urgent imperative to rebuild public trust in INEC, an institution whose credibility has been severely eroded by the shadows of past electoral malfeasances.
“His record positions him as an apolitical figure of integrity. His nomination, now awaiting Senate confirmation, underscores a deliberate push for regional balance in federal appointments, a gesture that resonates deeply with a state often overshadowed in Nigeria’s power corridors.
“For the people of Kogi, this is more than a milestone; it is a clarion call for their representative to channel this honor into tangible dividends.
“Amupitan’s scholarly depth in areas like corporate governance, evidence law, and privatization equips him uniquely to navigate the labyrinth of electoral administration.
“However, the true measure of this pride will lie in his ability to transcend parochial gains and address the national malaise afflicting INEC — a body whose name once evoked assurance but now stirs skepticism.
“This appointment unfolds against a grim tableau of public distrust, meticulously sculpted by the controversies that marred the 2023 general elections.
“What was billed as Nigeria’s most technologically advanced poll — bolstered by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, IReV — devolved into a spectacle of disillusionment.
“Technical glitches plagued BVAS machines, rendering them inoperable in key polling units and disenfranchising millions, particularly in urban centers and opposition strongholds.
“The much-vaunted electronic transmission of results faltered spectacularly, with fewer than 25% of polling unit outcomes uploaded to IReV in real-time, fueling accusations of manipulation and opacity.
“Vote buying, over-voting, and result falsification ran rampant, as documented in post-election analyses.”
Ameh reminded Prof. Amupitan that he was taking over the commission at a time public confidence in the institution plummeted further than the mere 23 percent trust rating it had ahead of the 2023 elections.
He added that the rate plummeted “further as Bola Tinubu’s victory was announced amid protests and legal challenges.
“For Nigerians, these events were not abstract failures but visceral betrayals — eroding faith in the ballot as the ultimate arbiter of power.”
The CUPP charged the new INEC boss to provide the kind of leadership the institution requires to restore its credibility, integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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