The recent exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) upon the completion of his two-term tenure as chairman and the immediate appointment of Professor Josh Ojo Amupitan as replacement are significant developments that necessitate an evaluation of the electoral body’s performances, vis-a-vis the challenges ahead.
Many Nigerians will now wait to see how he would shape INEC, especially by subjecting its activities to a critical review to identify the various challenges that have continued to be inimical to the conduct of free and fair elections in the country.
It is noteworthy that Professor Yakubu is the first among all the past chairmen of the commission who served out his two term tenure that spanned 10 years, within which he presided over the conduct of two cycles of general elections (2019 and 2023) and a number of off-cycle elections.
He also ensured an increased deployment of technology for the purpose of raising the quality of elections, especially with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal, a feat for which he will continuously be remembered.
However, even with all these accomplishments, there are still huge public concerns over some unresolved issues and unanswered questions about the operations of the electoral body the new chairman should strive to address.
Questions over general elections in 2026
Why we are proposing earlier conduct of elections — House c’ttee chair
As the country inches towards the 2027 general elections, there is the compelling need for the commission to put itself on a scale, with a view to establishing the extent of its genuine capability for the conduct of credible elections.
We note that the new chairman, who is a university administrator, an academic and legal luminary, is widely considered as sufficiently competent for the job. Thus, it is expected that he would quickly initiate an internal process of evaluation so that all the flaws in the operations of the commission can be identified.
The INEC under him should be both sincere enough to admit its inadequacies and courageous enough to confront all the issues that have caused the crisis of confidence over its capacity and readiness for the conduct of free and fair elections in Nigeria.
The new chairman must have been adequately aware that for too long, the electoral body is being accused of bias towards certain political party or parties complacent in the face of clear breach of the electoral law or even complicit in the perpetration of malpractices during elections.
Critical segments of the Nigerian population have been raising their voices over perceived and real deliberate abuse of the electoral process by INEC officials, in collaboration with some fraudulent political actors and security agencies.
These are complaints the new chairman should consider as a challenge that calls for real actions, which is fundamental towards strengthening the existing electoral system.
Moreover, INEC should strive to build on the technological advancements deployed in the conduct of elections so far and which majority of Nigerians believe to have added value to the electoral system. Every effort must be made to ensure that all defects that have continued to hinder the process at the stages of voting, collation, transmission and announcement of results are rectified.
Having been appointed at this critical time when the country is gearing up for 2027 general elections, Professor Amupitan may face the twin challenges of image-making and reputation management much more than any of his predecessors had ever done.
It is his approach to this particular aspect of the commission’s mandate that will determine the kind of perception Nigerians will have about INEC between now and the time of the elections and even beyond.
He needs to take the right steps to erase any doubt or suspicion about his credibility and competence to handle the job.
Daily Trust acknowledges the fact that management of election matters, which is the core mandate of INEC, is one of the most complex and sometimes complicated national assignments.
The combination of the desperation of individual power seekers and political parties, as well as the disturbing low level of awareness among the voters has, over time, constituted a drawback for the electoral body.
It is true that the tendency of contestants and parties for the subversion of the rules of the game, which originates from their desire to capture or retain power at all costs, is the reason for much of the controversy that trails the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
The do-or-die syndrome, which has become a dominant feature of the disposition of a lot of political actors, is not only condemnable but also terribly inimical to a reliable electoral system in particular and the country’s democracy in general.
We hope the new INEC leadership would address all these tendencies if it puts in place, mechanisms for the improvement of the quality of elections. The commission must avoid such acts that make it easy or even justifiable for Nigerians to associate it with a bias or favouritism.
As he prepares to assume duties, Professor Amupitan should come to terms with the fact that INEC is an independent body saddled with the task of organising and conducting elections that should ideally give birth to government of the people, for the people and by the people.
He should ensure that the commission is allowed to enjoy its independence and not reduced to an extension of government or any arm of it.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
