INEC’s New Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, Declares Electoral Integrity ‘Non-Negotiable’

Professor Joash Amupitan, the freshly sworn-in Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has asserted that the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process is absolutely non-negotiable. He made this declaration on Thursday, October 23, 2025, during his inaugural meeting with the directors in Abuja, shortly after being administered the oath of office by President Bola Tinubu.

Dependable NG reports that in his first address to the Commission’s top brass, the new Chairman pledged to ensure the delivery of free, fair, and credible elections that accurately reflect the true wishes of the Nigerian people. He emphasised the weighty responsibility placed on the Commission, noting that the entire nation is watching. “It is with immense gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today as your new Chairman. Our mandate is clear – to deliver free, fair and credible elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people,” he stated.

Prof. Amupitan stressed that while preparations for elections are crucial, their ultimate success hinges on the cooperation of all stakeholders, including politicians and the general public. He called for unity, synergy, and collaboration among INEC’s various units to meet the constitutional mandate.

A central theme of his address was the urgent need to combat voter apathy by restoring public trust. “Let us restore the confidence of every voter that whenever there is an election, their vote will count, so that we can address this issue of voter apathy in our nation,” he urged. He also issued a stern warning against compromising the core values or processes of the Commission, highlighting that such actions would carry serious consequences. “I must stress that we should not compromise our values or processes, as that could have consequences. The integrity of our elections is not even something we should negotiate,” the Chairman concluded.