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The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State has called on the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, to prioritise electoral reforms and restore integrity to Nigeria’s democratic process.

Speaking in Lagos on Friday, on a media outlet, the IPAC Secretary and Lagos State Chairperson of the Action People’s Party (APP), Mrs. Abiola Adeyemi, congratulated Prof. Amupitan on his appointment and urged him to use the opportunity to rebuild public trust in the electoral system.

According to Adeyemi, voter apathy has become widespread due to disillusionment with past elections, and the new INEC boss must take urgent steps to reverse this trend.

She said:
“We expect the newly appointed INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to champion and strengthen electoral reforms. Let the process be transparent and let election results reflect the will of the people.
“The biggest task before him is the restoration of public confidence in the electoral process, because this is long gone.”

Adeyemi further charged the INEC Chairman to ensure full transparency in election administration and advocated for a legal framework supporting the electronic transmission of results from polling units.

“We expect Amupitan to implement radical transparency and ensure legal backing for the electronic transmission of election results from the polling units without glitches, to enhance election credibility,” she stated.

She also advised the INEC Chairman to leverage existing innovations like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other technology-driven measures to eliminate electoral malpractice.

“He (Amupitan) should ensure that INEC is shielded from partisan pressure and political interference. This is vital to restore confidence.
“Nigerians expect Prof. Amupitan to deliver credible, transparent, and fair elections, birthing an era of accountability and fairness in Nigeria’s democratic evolution,” she added.

Adeyemi emphasised the need for reforms that would allow citizens to freely participate in the electoral process without fear or intimidation.

“The electoral reforms that would make Nigerians aspire, contest and vote without intimidation are needed to bring back public confidence,” she noted.

She also urged the new INEC Chairman to address the persistent challenge of vote buying and vote selling, which continues to undermine electoral integrity in the country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on Thursday, announced the appointment of Prof. Joash Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as the new INEC Chairman. His appointment has since been ratified by the National Council of State.

Amupitan’s emergence comes following the expiration of the tenure of his predecessor, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who served two consecutive five-year terms as head of the electoral body since November 2015.