A group of civil society organisations in Nigeria has urged transparency and independence for the electoral commission as it accepts Professor Joash Amupitan’s appointment as the new INEC chairman. The Coalition—consisting of Yiaga Africa, Women Rights Advancement Protection Alternative (WRAPA), International Press Centre, The Kukah Centre, Center for Media and Society, TAF Africa, African Centre
A group of civil society organisations in Nigeria has urged transparency and independence for the electoral commission as it accepts Professor Joash Amupitan’s appointment as the new INEC chairman.
The Coalition—consisting of Yiaga Africa, Women Rights Advancement Protection Alternative (WRAPA), International Press Centre, The Kukah Centre, Center for Media and Society, TAF Africa, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Nigeria Women Trust Fund, Accountability Lab Nigeria, and YERP Naija Campaign—made this announcement in a statement released on Friday.
This development arises from the recent changes in the leadership of the electoral commission, following the appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new chairman of INEC. His selection was unanimously approved by the Council of State, succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who completed his two-term tenure as chairman.
Civil society organisations accepted the new INEC boss’s nomination, noting his qualifications present no grounds for objection to his capability.
Nevertheless, the coalition emphasised that established procedures for the selection process must be strictly adhered to, stating that approval by the Council of State should not substitute the Nigerian Senate’s responsibility to vet and confirm the newly appointed chairman. Furthermore, the coalition advocated for people-centred processes, transparency, and inclusivity within the electoral system, in line with their ongoing call for comprehensive electoral and systemic reforms.
The coalition called on the Nigerian Senate to make Professor Joash Amupitan’s confirmation as INEC boss open to public participation, in line with the Framework for Citizens Engagement previously submitted by civil society groups.
“We reiterate our longstanding call for a transparent, inclusive and citizens-centred appointment process that is consistent with the recommendations of key electoral reform interventions like the Justice Uwais Report, Ken Nnamani committee report, and the Citizens Memorandum on Electoral Reforms.
“We acknowledge Professor Amupitan’s academic and professional accomplishments; therefore, we have no objection in principle to his nomination. However, the current state of Nigeria’s electoral process requires a fiercely independent INEC, immune to political manipulation and unwavering in its commitment to credible elections. Consequently, as the next INEC Chairman, if confirmed by the Senate, he must demonstrate moral courage and resistance to political interference. INEC works better when it is insulated from political interference.
“We call on the Senate to ensure that its confirmation hearings are transparent, televised, and inclusive of citizen and civil society input through memoranda, petitions and participation in the confirmation hearings.
The Senate should undertake a rigorous examination of his competence, public records, vision for electoral reform, INEC’s institutional strengthening, as well as his capacity to resist political interference and uphold electoral integrity.
The Senate should also interrogate the nominee’s plans to address systemic challenges, including voter registration, result transmission, and enforcement of INEC’s regulations and guidelines.
Nigerians expect the Senate confirmation process to be open to citizens’ participation in line with the Framework for Citizens’ Engagement in the INEC Appointment Process previously submitted to the Senate by the undersigned civil society organisations. This includes full disclosure of the nominee’s credentials, public service history, and capacity to manage elections without political interference.
