Students Seek Amupitan Speedy Confirmation

A conjugation of Northern younker organisations and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) called connected the National Assembly connected Wednesday to corroborate Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, arsenic Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The entreaty was made astatine a associated property league successful Abuja, addressed by Ambassador Aliyu Muhammed connected behalf of the Coalition of Northern Youth Organisations (CNYO), Arewa Youth Movement (AYM), Arewa Youth Congress (AYC), North Central Youth Council (NCYC), Northern Youth Council (NYC), Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), and NANS.

The groups said their presumption followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s information of Professor Amupitan, which was approved by the National Council of State past week. They described Amupitan’s assignment arsenic a measurement toward strengthening the electoral body’s independency and credibility.

“We, the undersigned Northern groups and NANS, explicit our enactment for Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, arsenic the recently appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Muhammed said.

The conjugation dismissed arsenic baseless claims that Amupitan should beryllium disqualified due to the fact that of his erstwhile enactment arsenic pb counsel for governmental parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), successful predetermination petition tribunals.

“We cull successful beardown presumption the claims of disqualification raised by immoderate individuals. These allegations are without ineligible merit and motivated by malice,” Muhammed said.

The groups argued that the Nigerian Constitution does not barroom lawyers who person represented governmental clients from holding nationalist office, including the presumption of INEC Chairman. They stressed that nonrecreational acquisition successful instrumentality enhances, alternatively than diminishes, one’s quality to service impartially.

“The Constitution of Nigeria does not disqualify individuals who person antecedently worked with governmental affiliates arsenic clients from holding the presumption of INEC Chairman. His wealthiness of acquisition and expertise successful instrumentality and governance marque him a susceptible and credible candidate,” the conjugation said.

They urged the National Assembly to expedite Amupitan’s confirmation, noting that immoderate hold could undermine preparations for aboriginal elections.

“We impulse the National Assembly to corroborate his information without further delay. We are assured that helium volition uphold the principles of fairness, justice, and impartiality arsenic enshrined successful the Constitution,” Muhammed added.