Newly sworn-in Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), has assured Nigerians that every vote will count under his watch, pledging to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and fairness in the nation’s electoral process.
Amupitan made the pledge on Thursday shortly after being sworn in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, as the sixth substantive INEC Chairman since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
The new INEC boss described his appointment as a “divine call to national service,” promising to defend the Constitution and deliver elections that genuinely reflect the will of the Nigerian people.
“Our mandate is clear: to deliver elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people,” Amupitan said. “The integrity of elections is not up for negotiation; it is the soul of democracy. Every vote will count.”
He emphasised that the Commission under his leadership would rebuild public confidence through teamwork, stakeholder engagement, institutional discipline, and the welfare of its personnel.
“We will work as one team to restore voter confidence and end apathy,” he stated. “We expect much from our staff, and it is only fair that we give them much in return — welfare and conducive conditions to excel.”
Amupitan, who took over formally from the Acting Chairman, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, at INEC headquarters later in the day, acknowledged the high expectations of Nigerians and pledged to deliver on President Tinubu’s charge for credible and transparent elections.
“The eyes of the nation are upon us,” he said. “We must rise to the occasion and prove that every vote counts. The forthcoming Anambra governorship election will be our first major test — and we intend to get it right.”
Tinubu to Amupitan: Uphold integrity, fairness, and transparency
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu charged the new INEC Chairman to serve with integrity beyond reproach and to ensure that Nigeria’s electoral process remains a model of transparency and fairness on the African continent.
He said the credibility of elections defines the soul of democracy, noting that Amupitan’s appointment and Senate confirmation reflected confidence in his capacity to deliver.
“Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years. We must remain committed to the principles that underpin it, integrity, fairness, and the protection of the people’s right to choose their leaders,” Tinubu said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga.
“The integrity of our electoral process must be beyond reproach.”
The President described the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election scheduled for November 8, 2025, as the first litmus test of the new INEC leadership’s credibility and commitment to electoral reform.
He urged Amupitan and his team to ensure that all aspects of the election process, from voter registration to result declaration, reflect transparency, inclusiveness, and fairness.
“No electoral system is flawless,” Tinubu noted, “but since elections are vital to our national future, it is essential to continually strengthen our institutions to ensure they remain resilient and credible.”
Earlier in her remarks, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, who handed over the leadership mantle to Amupitan, described the transition as “a moment of continuity and renewal.”
She commended INEC staff for their dedication and expressed confidence that the new chairman would build on the institutional foundations laid by his predecessor, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended this year.
The brief but symbolic ceremony was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, state governors, senior government officials, National Commissioners, INEC Secretary, and family members of the new chairman.
At 58, Professor Amupitan, a distinguished scholar and legal luminary from the University of Jos, succeeds Yakubu after a decade-long tenure that spanned from 2015 to 2025.
