Civil Society Organization Congratulates Prof Amupitan on assumption into office as INEC Chairman

… Charges him to raise the bar beyond the achievements of his predecessors

…Rejects proposed amendments of electoral Act to make it the responsibility of INEC to provide proof of alledged electoral malpractice

A civil society and election observer organization, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has congratulated the newly sworn in INEC chairman Prof Joash Amupitan on his confirmation by the Senate and assumption into office.

In a press release signed by it’s executive director Nelson Ekujumi, the group stated that “We are delighted by the choice and confirmation of Prof Amupitan a distinguished lawyer and technocrat as INEC Chairman to oversee our democratic process for the next five years by the President Bola Tinubu administration”.

According to the organization, “We commend President Bola Tinubu for the painstaking and diligent choice of a round peg in a round hole by the choice of the new INEC chairman Prof Joash Amupitan which is a testimonial of his President Tinubu resolve and commitment to enhancing our democracy through the conduct of credible, free, fair and transparent elections”.

The group affirmed it’s indisputable confidence in Prof Joash Amupitan capacity and capability to deliver on the constitutional mandate of INEC and even raise the bar far and above the laudable and indelible achievements of his predecessors who have written their names in gold by the credible, transparent, free, fair and successful conduct of Nigeria’s general elections since 2015 till date.

CPPM charged Prof Amupitan to learn and imbibe the qualities of his immediate predecessors Profs Attahiru Jega and Mahmud Yakubu who remained neutral, objective and professional in the conduct of INEC operations and activities, even in the face of barrage of attacks, name calling, abuses, arson attacks, campaign of blackmail and calumny by anti democratic elements.

The group admonished Prof Amupitan to ensure that the commission under his watch does not deviate from its constitutional mandate of being impartial and professional in the conduct of its activities, just as it reminded the new INEC chairman, that it should remain focused, disciplined, determined and committed to upholding the provisions of the law at all times.

The group also called on the new INEC chairman to familiarize himself with the workings of INEC as quickly as possible and engage in constructive dialogue with stakeholders who must be accessed an open door policy of interactions for inclusivity, that was synonymous with INEC under the two previous leaderships.

CPPM however used the occasion of the release to express its rejection of one of the recently proposed amendments of the electoral Act especially with regards to electoral dispute, which states that the onus of proof for alledged electoral malpractice should be laid at the doorstep of INEC. CPPM finds such reasoning as illogical, irrational and an assault on human sensibility. According to it, how can INEC which is empowered by law to conduct election, be the one to provide evidence for alledged electoral malpractice which a candidate has identified and not INEC and petitioned the courts on? If a candidate and party has identified election malpractice and petitioned the courts, then the onus is on who alledges, to provide proof and not the other way round.

The group stated that as a critical stakeholder in the Nigeria’s democratic process, she is committed to working with all patriotic, positive thinking and responsible partners for the deepening of Nigeria’s democracy through interrogation, research, consultation, debates, dialogues and distillation of facts and realities, and would not be a party to the whipping up of sentiments and emotions to incite, confuse, mislead and derail our journey to progress as a nation.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,

E-signed,

Nelson Ekujumi,
Executive Director.