The newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, has arrived at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for his official swearing-in ceremony by President Bola Tinubu.
Amupitan, dressed in a white agbada paired with a gold cap, arrived at the State House on Thursday morning, where he exchanged greetings with dignitaries and attendees before the ceremony began, according to a report by Channels Television.
The event, which signifies the formal commencement of his tenure as the country’s chief electoral officer, is scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m.
The professor of law’s visit to the Villa follows his confirmation by the Senate a week earlier, after a thorough screening held on October 16.
During his interaction with the lawmakers, the 58-year-old scholar detailed his vision to reform Nigeria’s electoral process, strengthen the commission’s independence, and rebuild citizens’ confidence in the electoral institution.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser will congratulate the winner and say, ‘You won fairly and well.’ When that happens, voters’ confidence will naturally be restored,” Amupitan told the Senate.
He further promised to prioritise the tightening of the Electoral Act’s provisions to eliminate ambiguities in election timelines and improve transparency throughout the process.
Amupitan, who was nominated by President Tinubu and endorsed by the National Council of State, succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose term as INEC Chairman recently expired.
His appointment makes him the sixth substantive leader of the electoral commission since its inception.
When questioned about alleged associations with President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court proceedings, Amupitan categorically denied the allegations.
“I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any of the parties,” he said, affirming his neutrality and independence.
After his swearing-in, the new INEC Chairman is expected to immediately assume duty and begin the transition process at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
