2 weeks ago
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By Henry Umoru, Abuja
ABUJA — The recently confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, has pledged to deploy drones and different modern technologies to safeguard delicate predetermination materials and fortify the information of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Amupitan made the pledge during his screening earlier the Senate connected Thursday, wherever helium besides assured Nigerians that nether his leadership, elections would beryllium credible capable for losers to congratulate winners successful bully faith.
The Senate, aft a rigorous three-hour screening session, confirmed his assignment pursuing a dependable ballot presided implicit by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, with nary objections raised by lawmakers.
With his confirmation, Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served arsenic INEC Chairman for 10 years.
Before the screening, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) moved a question to suspend Order 12 to let the nominee into the chamber, seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).
Akpabio informed senators that Amupitan had been cleared by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector-General of Police pursuing a thorough inheritance check.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier written to the Senate, seeking Amupitan’s confirmation successful accordance with Section 154(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
During the screening, Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor astatine the University of Jos, denied ever serving arsenic ineligible counsel to President Tinubu oregon the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 statesmanlike predetermination petitions.
“I did not pb oregon enactment successful the President’s ineligible squad astatine immoderate level — not astatine the Tribunal, Court of Appeal, oregon Supreme Court,” helium stated.
Amupitan vowed to guarantee credible and transparent elections, stressing: “Our eventual extremity is to marque elections truthful credible that adjacent the loser volition congratulate the victor successful bully religion — conscionable arsenic some sides judge a judge’s verdict arsenic just and just.”
He explained that deploying drones during elections would assistance INEC show movements, support materials, and guarantee that logistical challenges bash not undermine the credibility of the process.
Addressing technological reforms, Amupitan promised to audit INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal to place issues that caused glitches successful the 2023 elections. He said the Commission would reappraisal and fortify its technological infrastructure to heighten transparency.
He besides announced plans to acceptable up an Ethics and Compliance Committee wrong INEC to analyse and authorisation erring officials, arsenic good arsenic a whistleblower argumentation to promote reporting of malpractices without fearfulness of reprisal.
Amupitan further called for the instauration of an Electoral Offences Commission to prosecute electoral crimes and guarantee accountability.
On logistics, helium emphasized collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to heighten the ratio of the electoral process.
“We volition deploy innovations — including drones and different unafraid means — to warrant that predetermination materials scope their destinations. No elector volition beryllium near behind,” helium assured.
He besides pledged assertive elector education, harmonization of electoral timelines, and strict adherence to nationalist procurement and fiscal absorption laws.
Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), speaking connected behalf of Kogi senators, lauded Amupitan’s appointment, describing it arsenic a historical infinitesimal for the state.
“He won’t disappoint Nigerians. This is the archetypal clip Kogi is producing an INEC Chairman, and we judge helium volition service with integrity,” Karimi said.
In his remarks, Senate President Akpabio congratulated Amupitan and charged him to reconstruct nationalist spot successful Nigeria’s electoral system.
“We expect elections nether your enactment to beryllium transparent, credible, and reflective of the people’s will,” Akpabio said.
At the extremity of the exercise, Senator Buba Shehu (Bauchi South) moved that Amupitan “take a bow and go,” a question that was unanimously adopted by the Senate.
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