Amupitan Promises Comprehensive Review Of 2023 Election Logistics.

Professor Joash Amupitan.

The new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, on Thursday, announced his intention to carry out a thorough audit of the commission, focusing primarily on the logistics used during the 2023 general elections.

Amupitan stated that the audit would help uncover the challenges faced by the electoral body and enable the development of effective solutions in collaboration with relevant partners.

During his screening session before the Senate Committee of the Whole, the Professor of Law presented a detailed reform plan that includes establishing an internal ethics committee, implementing a whistleblower framework, enforcing accountability, and adopting advanced technologies — including drones — to enhance election logistics and security measures.

Referencing a Supreme Court judgement, Amupitan noted that INEC’s Results Viewing Portal was not part of the commission’s official results collation process and stressed that this was not clearly communicated to Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He assured that if confirmed as the next INEC chairman, integrity and ethical leadership would be the foundation of his administration.

“I think that trust is a major concern. We will work out an internal mechanism to try the behaviour of humans,” he said.

“I’m taking this position on trust, and my people must also appreciate that they hold their positions on trust. We will set up an ethical committee to review what has happened in the past because complaints have been made, yet no action has been taken. We will pursue every complaint and follow through,” he added.

Amupitan also revealed plans to work with the National Assembly to create an Electoral Offences Commission that would handle the proper investigation and prosecution of electoral crimes.

He pointed out that INEC currently does not possess the institutional capacity to investigate or prosecute such offences and that introducing a whistleblowing policy would help expose malpractices.

“We will collaborate with the National Assembly because legislative intervention is necessary for the creation of an electoral offences commission that can investigate cases, even through forensic means. We will also introduce a whistleblowing policy to expose such practices,” he said.

On improving election security, Amupitan pledged to implement innovative solutions to ensure that no eligible voter is left out, especially in difficult-to-access areas.

“Security is a major challenge. We will work with the security committee to strengthen those areas. We will invest in logistics to ensure we reach every part of Nigeria — even if we need to use drones. No voter will be left behind; that will be our policy,” he stated.

He further highlighted the importance of voter and civic education in promoting democratic participation and strengthening citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.

“There’s going to be voter and civic education. We will build the capacity of all election stakeholders and embark on aggressive civic enlightenment,” he said.

Addressing the issue of real-time transmission of election results, Amupitan said that further legislative clarification was needed to resolve existing gaps in the Electoral Act.

“On the issue of real-time transmission, the Electoral Act has not been concluded. I will make my input where necessary to ensure the matter is properly addressed,” he assured.

The INEC chairman also vowed to simplify election timelines and operational processes to enhance credibility and reduce disputes.

“The issue of the timeline will be streamlined to remove ambiguities. We will ensure elections are credible so that losers can congratulate winners without dispute. We will also prioritise the security of election materials,” he stated.

He further pledged to promote strict transparency and accountability in INEC’s financial operations.

“This parliament has sufficient laws on procurement and public fund management, and they will be enforced strictly to ensure funds are utilised for their intended purposes. We will also save costs where possible,” he said.