Now that the Senate has confirmed Prof Joash Amupitan as chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and President Bola Tinubu has sworn him in, for many Nigerians, that sentence delivered a mix of relief, suspicion, and renewed expectation. This moment is both a milestone and an opening act for an institution that still carries the weight of Nigerians’ frustration with polls. That weight, and the hopes that now sit upon it, deserve a fresh conversation grounded in the views Nigerians have already shared in public and digital spheres.
The respect for Amupitan’s record as a scholar and legal mind has been championed by many. He arrives with his credentials that include deep experience in corporate governance and evidence law, and that matters.
Nigerians want someone who can understand the complex rules governing electoral contests and who can read legal challenges without being intimidated. The presence of an academic among INEC’s leaders has, for many, restored a measure of faith that procedure and principle might have a fair hearing.
However, sentiments shared as opinions and party statements reveal a country divided on whether appointment processes and political signals compromise the independence of INEC. Critics from opposition camps and civil society have asked tough questions in the press about how appointments are made and whether the commission can act honestly without fear of political pressure.
That scepticism is not mere cynicism. It is the residue of past elections where the perception of partiality did real damage to legitimacy. If INEC is to regain trust, it must address this perception openly by taking the right actions during elections.
Beyond personalities, Nigerians voiced policy priorities that matter more than any chair’s biography. There is an apparent demand for credible technology that actually works.
Prior promises of real-time result transmission and the frustration when systems failed to deliver still linger. Nigerians are tired of technological optimism that collapses at the point of use.
They want phased pilots, hardened redundancy, and staff who can run the machines under pressure. Although Nigeria itself is under pressure now, that’s on a lighter note. Technology must be an enabler of transparency, not a covering story for new faults.
Questions in the press still need to be answered, including how electoral materials are purchased, who trains ad hoc staff, and how sensitive materials are transported across the country. Opacity in any of those processes invites rumours and makes orderly elections harder.
There is an urgent need for improved and expedited legal dispute resolution in our courts. The long tail of election litigation, which leaves winners and losers locked in court for months, can be addressed. Nigerians want quicker judicial responses and more robust pre-election mediation to resolve the minor disputes that later escalate into crises.
Electoral commissions operate in political weather. Amupitan’s job will partly be weatherproofing INEC for the boisterous Nigerian political climate.
Building processes and public records that stay firm when politics turns hot is not an option. That means publishing procurement schedules, staffing plans, and result protocols in advance, and inviting scrutiny so that surprises become rarer.
There are also operational fixes Nigerians expect to see in print before votes begin. Real-time publication of vendor contracts, more transparent chains of custody for sensitive materials, early testing and certification of technology, and improved pay and protection for ad hoc staff who run elections on the ground, especially the NYSC members.
The truth remains that no individual, however learned, can remake an institution alone. The chair must be both the chief executive and the chief convener. He will need partners in the judiciary, the security services, the legislature, and the press. Amupitan must also accept public oversight without defensiveness. The moment demands humility and steady engineering rather than the high drama we have been experiencing.
Nigerians will forgive mistakes if they are acknowledged and corrected, but they will not forgive secrecy. The path to restored electoral trust runs through transparent actions, meaningful engagement, and a demonstrable willingness to be held accountable.
If Prof Amupitan can show that in months, not years, the 2027 elections and the intervening local polls will be judged less by partisan cheers and more by public confidence.
The confirmation of a capable scholar is a moment to hope. Now, this conversation must shift to deliverables, including clear timelines, published procurement and staffing plans, tested technology, and expedited legal pathways for disputes.
INEC leadership can answer the press and the people with action; history will remember the appointment as a turning point. If not, the debate will continue until a saviour emerges from Mount Zion.
