By Helen Okechukwu, Fatimah Idera
Following the appointment of the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan by President Bola Tinubu, activists and Civil Society Organisation experts have raised concern over the credibility of the newly appointed chairman in the forthcoming 2027 general election.
Over the years, Nigeria has witnessed several elections with the appointment of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairmen since 1998, following its official establishment.
Despite the appointment and transitional chairmen, the electoral process has continued to face issues of credibility and accountability, as citizens call for electoral reform.
Before its official establishment, it operated under the Federal Electoral Commission (FED) in 1960, FEDECO in 1978, and NECON, before becoming the official body known as INEC.
Since its inception, the body has transitioned through different chairmen, from Eyo Esua, Michael Ani, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to the incumbent chairman, Prof. Amupitan.
According to President Tinubu Adviser Bayo Onanuga on 9 October, he declared Prof Amupitan as the newly appointed INEC chairman.
The recent appointment of the INEC chairman by President Tinubu has sparked controversy regarding the credibility of the new appointee in the forthcoming presidential election to be held in 2027.
Speaking to The New Daily Prime, Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, the Rivers State Chairman of the Civil Society Organisation (CSO), said that the process of appointing the INEC chairman is crucial for any serious reform to happen within Nigeria’s electoral system, describing the position of the appointee as highly influential while questioning the credibility of his appointment.
“And you know politicians very well, especially the current president. He is a master of appointing cronies into public office. But sometimes he is so smart in doing it that he will appoint his crony that is overwhelmingly qualified.”
He further added that because of the means of appointment and firing of public officials, especially key officials like the EFCC and INEC, “most times the appointees’ hands are tied. We don’t expect too much from the appointee because of the process of appointment. It is our argument that such positions should be made open for engineers with character. We have said that there are several reports that have suggested that the power to appoint should leave the presidency because the president himself will subject him or herself to that same election.”
He likened the situation to when someone who is to be part of a football match appoints the referee, saying “automatically the person has rigged the process by half. That is our argument.”
While speaking to this paper, the CSO chairman urged the INEC chairman to take immediate steps towards sanitising Nigeria’s electoral process by ensuring the full electronic transmission of election results ahead of future polls.
He noted that the failure to electronically transmit results during the last general election generated widespread backlash and embarrassment for both the country and the electoral umpire.
According to him, issues surrounding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electronic voting processes undermined public confidence in the electoral system.
“For the purpose of progress, we are suggesting that the current INEC chairman should immediately pursue a clean-up of the electoral process by making sure that all results are transmitted electronically. We want to see the INEC Chairman spearhead this process now that we still have enough time to make sure that everything goes electronically by way of migration of results.”
He further called on the INEC chairman to champion legislative reforms within the commission to strengthen its independence and accountability. He expressed concern that the existing framework places the burden of proof on the aggrieved parties in election disputes, even when they lack access to official documents controlled by INEC.
“The documents are in the hands of INEC. They want to mutilate these results for politicians, yet politicians often manipulate results to suit their interests,” he explained. When materials are hijacked and results mutilated, it still falls on INEC to provide the true record. How can an affected party, who was not part of the manipulation, be expected to produce evidence he does not possess?,” he questioned.
He argued that this imbalance makes it almost impossible to overturn election results in Nigeria, especially at the presidential and governorship levels, as the ruling political party and INEC often hold decisive control over key electoral materials.
He added that adequate and early funding of INEC is essential to guarantee its operational independence and credibility. “We must ensure accountability in terms of available resources and make decisions based on transparency,” he said.
The advocate also reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to promoting electronic voting, noting that full migration to electronic systems has been successfully implemented in many parts of the world, reducing electoral malpractices to the barest minimum.
In addition, he called for reforms in the appointment process of the INEC chairman, saying, “we will further campaign in terms of who appoints our next chairman. We propose that eminent Nigerians drawn from various religions, tribes, and professions should work in collaboration with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to appoint the INEC Chairman. The appointment matters to us because it determines the credibility of the institution,” he said.
When asked if civil society groups would also monitor INEC’s financial accountability and funding sources to ensure that the ruling party does not influence the process, he confirmed: “Exactly. Civil society will monitor the aspect of accountability, how funds are disbursed, and whether the ruling party is sponsoring the forthcoming election.”
He added that the 2023 presidential election exposed the fact that political leaders in the country are not ready to learn while “INEC made a lot of public commitments in terms of BVAS and other electronic means of voting, a few days before the elections, we saw INEC begin to turn somersaults.”
He urged Nigerians to “name and shame” officials who compromised the integrity of the elections.
“For example, the immediate past INEC chairman should be consistently called out. People in such positions must learn that integrity matters, and that they cannot continue to benefit from wrongdoing.”
He called for improved training and empowerment of security agencies to handle both land and aquatic terrains, stressing that credible elections depend not only on technology and transparency but also on safety and logistical efficiency
Also speaking with this newspaper, the Media and Communications Officer at Yiaga Africa, Jennifer Dafwat, stated that there is always room for improvement when there is courage and will, especially concerning the newly elected INEC chairman.
“Some of the successes recorded by past INEC leadership were the result of a willingness to do what is right and the courage to persist in the face of intimidation,” she said.
According to her, active citizens play a vital role in safeguarding electoral integrity. Beyond technology or political interference, citizens also have a responsibility, and sometimes, choosing not to act is a form of action.
She added, “where failures were recorded, it was because these two key values were missing. When we allow disillusionment or political influence to guide our actions, we create room for electoral fraud and impunity to thrive.”
Dafwat explained that the CSOs are aimed at making INEC truly independent.
She noted that the compulsory electronic transmission of election results should complement manual transmission to enhance transparency, ensure all election petitions are resolved before swearing-in, and strengthen political stability and public confidence in election outcomes.
The communications officer also called for early or special voting to allow security personnel, INEC staff, journalists, election observers, and inmates to cast their votes ahead of election day, as they are usually on duty during elections.
While speaking she further urged the Electoral Offences Commission to prosecute individuals involved in electoral crimes.
Dafwat suggested that electronic voter cards and other valid means of identification, such as the national ID or international passport, be accepted for voting since the BVAS already captures voters’ fingerprints and photographs. This, she said, would help reduce voter disenfranchisement.
