Elections must be free, fair, credible, losers will congratulate winners — Amupitan

By Henry Umoru, Abuja

Newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), has pledged to behaviour elections that are free, fair, and credible, assuring that nether his watch, “losers volition person each crushed to congratulate winners.”

Amupitan made the pledge connected Thursday during his screening and confirmation by the Senate, pursuing his information by President Bola Tinubu. He faced senators for implicit 3 hours, answering questions connected electoral reforms, neutrality, and the integrity of Nigeria’s voting process.

Presiding implicit the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the confirmation aft a unanimous dependable vote, declaring that Amupitan was approved without immoderate dissenting opinion.

“He is hereby confirmed without immoderate dissenting voice. Go and guarantee that votes count,” Akpabio told him.

During the screening, Amupitan assured lawmakers that his enactment of INEC would beryllium guided by transparency and accountability, adding that credible elections stay the bedrock of democracy.

“My imaginativeness is to guarantee that elections successful Nigeria are truthful transparent that adjacent those who suffer volition congratulate the winners. That is the level of credibility we indispensable execute for nationalist progress,” helium said.

He promised to fortify elector education, heighten logistics management, and follow improved technological measures to forestall manipulation of results and safeguard electoral materials.

Amupitan besides addressed questions astir his governmental neutrality, firmly denying reports that helium had served arsenic ineligible counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) successful the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal oregon astatine the Supreme Court.

“The instrumentality reports are nationalist and verifiable. I was not portion of immoderate ineligible squad representing immoderate governmental enactment oregon candidate,” helium clarified.

Earlier, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved a question to suspend Order 12 to admit the nominee into the chamber, seconded by Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South). Amupitan entered astatine 12:50 p.m. and presented his credentials earlier responding to senators’ questions.

Before the screening, Akpabio informed the enclosure that Amupitan had been cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force, each confirming helium had nary transgression record.

President Tinubu had earlier, successful a missive work by Akpabio connected Tuesday, requested the Senate to surface and corroborate Amupitan successful accordance with Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The President’s missive work successful part: “In accordance with the provisions of Section 154 subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 arsenic amended, I americium pleased to contiguous for confirmation by the Senate the assignment of Professor Joash Amupitan, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, arsenic Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Professor of Law, has held respective world and administrative positions successful the ineligible and acquisition sectors. His confirmation marks a caller signifier successful INEC’s leadership, with renewed nationalist expectations for credible elections crossed the country.

The station Elections indispensable beryllium free, fair, credible, losers volition congratulate winners — Amupitan appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.