1 week ago
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The recently appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has arrived astatine the Presidential Villa, Abuja, up of his authoritative swearing-in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu connected Thursday morning.
Amupitan, who appeared astatine the State House dressed successful a pristine achromatic agbada and golden cap, exchanged pleasantries with aides and guests earlier proceeding to the venue of the ceremony. The lawsuit is scheduled to instrumentality spot astatine 1:00 p.m., marking the ceremonial commencement of his tenure arsenic Nigeria’s main electoral officer.
Meanwhile, astatine the aforesaid time, Vice President Kashim Shettima presided implicit a gathering of the National Economic Council (NEC) astatine the Council Chamber of the Villa, attended by governors and lawman governors from crossed the 36 states of the federation.
LEADERSHIP reports that Amupitan’s accomplishment for the ceremonial came hardly a week aft the Senate confirmed his assignment pursuing a rigorous screening workout held connected October 16. During the session, the 58-year-old Professor of Law faced extended questioning from lawmakers connected his imaginativeness for restoring credibility to Nigeria’s electoral process and implementing captious reforms wrong the Commission.
The caller INEC brag was nominated by President Tinubu and subsequently endorsed by the National Council of State, succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended recently. His assignment makes him the sixth substantive caput of the electoral assemblage since its establishment.
While addressing senators during his screening, Amupitan vowed to prioritise electoral reforms, emphasising the request for transparent polls and the restoration of nationalist assurance successful the nation’s antiauthoritarian process.
“We indispensable behaviour elections wherever adjacent the loser volition congratulate the victor and say, ‘You won reasonably and well.’ When that happens, voters’ assurance volition people beryllium restored,” helium said.
The instrumentality prof besides utilized the accidental to disregard reports linking him to President Tinubu’s ineligible squad during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court, insisting that helium remained neutral passim the proceedings.
“I ne'er appeared earlier the Presidential Election Tribunal oregon the Supreme Court for immoderate of the parties,” Amupitan clarified, reaffirming his non-partisanship.
Following his swearing-in, the caller INEC Chairman is expected to presume bureau instantly and statesman the modulation process astatine the Commission’s office successful Abuja.
Amupitan has pledged to absorption connected strengthening the Electoral Act, addressing inconsistencies successful predetermination timelines, and enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s antiauthoritarian processes.
“My extremity is to guarantee that the Commission operates successful a mode that inspires spot and guarantees that each ballot counts,” he stated.
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