The Labour Party (LP) has challenged Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), the newly appointed chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to prove that he is not merely another electoral opportunist who prioritizes the interests of incumbents and financial backers over the integrity of the democratic process, as many of his predecessors have been accused of doing.
In a statement released on Friday, LP’s interim national publicity secretary, Prince Tony Akeni, emphasized that the new INEC leader must establish himself as a genuine and impartial arbiter committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s fragile democracy.
“Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan faces a monumental responsibility: to either restore credibility to Africa’s largest democracy or to deepen the damage inflicted by his predecessor, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, who is widely regarded as the most compromised INEC chairman in history,” Akeni remarked.
He added, “Beyond the prestige and visibility that come with this high-profile position, Professor Amupitan must decide the legacy he wants to leave behind. He must determine whom he truly serves-whether it is the collective will of over 230 million Nigerians who elected President Bola Tinubu, or the personal and unconstitutional interests of the individual who appointed him.”
Akeni urged the new chairman to consider how history will judge him, drawing a stark contrast with the reputation of Professor Yakubu Mahmood, whose tenure is remembered with disdain both within Nigeria and among the diaspora.
“During the Obasanjo administration, many believed that Professor Maurice Iwu was the worst electoral referee Nigeria had ever seen. However, the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega brought hope and restored some faith in the electoral process,” he noted, implying that Professor Amupitan has a similar opportunity to redefine the role of INEC chairman.
