As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election and with the much-anticipated Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 2025, several notable Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have put the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), on the hot seat.

They are demanding that Amupitan restore Nigerians? confidence in the electoral process following last week?s change of leadership at INEC, which saw Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu bowing out after 10 years in office.

The CSOs expressed divergent views on Yakubu?s performance, describing his tenure as a ?mixed bag.?

While some acknowledged his reform, others said his leadership was marred by controversies, chief among which was the glitches that occurred during the electronic transmission of the 2023 presidential election results.

Those lapses, they said, caused many Nigerians to lose confidence in the process, renewing calls for electoral reform, particularly the mandatory use of technology in all elections from 2027 onward.

Amupitan could face the Senate screening as early as this week, before Tinubu swears him in to commence his job.

There are indications that the screening may not be as rigorous as it is ordinarily expected because the Upper Chamber is controlled by the party of the president who nominated him.

If the appointment is completed expeditiously, the new INEC boss? first major assignment will be the Anambra State governorship election, which is scheduled to hold next month.

Notable changes

The Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr Lanre Arogundade, said Yakubu?s tenure brought fundamental changes that elevated Nigeria?s electoral process to a more appreciable level.

?Professor Mahmoud Yakubu demonstrated commitment to several landmark reforms,? Arogundade said.

?He supported many of the reform proposals from civil society organisations, especially those that strengthened INEC?s independence and made it possible for the Electoral Act to be amended to allow elements of electronic transmission of results.?

He noted that Yakubu?s INEC introduced innovations such as the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and the provision for electronic transmission of results under the 2022 Electoral Act.

Although the IReV portal malfunctioned during the 2023 presidential election, Arogundade said the system itself represented progress.

He added that Yakubu had shown willingness to engage stakeholders, including political parties, CSOs, and the media, to improve the credibility of elections.

?He often expressed concern about the attacks on journalists during elections and engaged security agencies on the issue,? he said.

Challenges

Arogundade also noted that the electoral body faced a range of structural challenges. ?INEC conducts elections almost all year round,? he said.

?Each time there?s a vacancy due to death or resignation, another by-election must be held. This is costly and time-consuming. ?We?ve argued that the law should allow political parties to replace candidates in such cases.?

Despite these issues, he commended Yakubu?s openness to cooperation, describing him as a reform-minded Chairman who worked to strengthen democratic institutions.

Rebuilding public confidence

The IPC boss urged Amupitan to act swiftly to rebuild public confidence in the electoral system.

?We have proposed reforms that would strengthen INEC?s independence and impartiality,? he said.

?Failure to support them would raise doubts about whether the Commission is moving forward or backwards.?

He advised the new Chairman to embrace accountability and transparency.

?Citizens must see sincerity in INEC?s conduct of elections. The Commission must improve the use of technology and ensure all electoral litigations are concluded before the swearing-in of winners?, he said.

Indelible mark

The Executive Director of Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu, said Yakubu?s decade in office left ?an indelible mark? on Nigeria?s electoral landscape.

?When he assumed office in 2015, expectations were high,? Baiyewu said.

?His tenure was defined by ambitious reforms aimed at deepening transparency and introducing technology-driven elections.

?The BVAS and IReV portals were significant innovations that helped to curb multiple voting and inflated results.?

She acknowledged improvements in logistics, inclusivity, and civil society engagement, regretting that the 2023 elections exposed ?deep systemic cracks? due to technical failures and weak communication.

?The gap between INEC?s promises and performance widened. Public confidence was eroded by inconsistencies and perceptions of partisanship,? she said.

Baiyewu noted that while Yakubu had vision, he sometimes lacked the assertiveness to confront political interference or protect INEC?s independence.

?His legacy is a mixture of progress and disappointment,? she concluded.

Neutrality

On the appointment of Amupitan, Baiyewu said the selection process created doubts about INEC?s neutrality.

?The fact that the INEC Chairman is nominated by the sitting President raises legitimate concerns,? she said.

?This structure must change if the Commission is to earn public trust.?

Nonetheless, she urged Amupitan to build on Yakubu?s foundation and demonstrate transparency and fairness.

?He must strengthen technology use, clean up the voter register, ensure inclusion for displaced persons and the disabled, and enforce accountability for electoral offences,? Baiyewu said.

?A credible Anambra election will be his first real test.?

She added that the new Chairman must engage the public regularly and prioritise honesty, transparency, and independence. ?Citizens do not demand perfection, only integrity,? she said.

Most eventful

The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, described Yakubu?s decade-long tenure as ?the longest and one of the most eventful? in INEC?s history.

?Under his leadership, INEC advanced the use of technology, introduced the Smart Card Reader, BVAS, and IReV, and expanded voter registration,? he said. ?These were major steps in modernising the electoral process.?

However, Mamedu said Yakubu?s administration was also marked by logistical failures and operational inconsistencies that eroded public trust. ?Delays in material deployment, malfunctioning devices, and late commencement of voting in 2023 undermined confidence,? he said.

?Technology was applied inconsistently, and INEC appeared susceptible to political influence.?

He also noted persistent low voter turnout and rising public apathy.

?INEC could have done more to engage citizens, improve voter education, and discipline erring ad hoc staff,? he said.

ActionAid?s collaboration with INEC, he added, revealed the gap between planning and execution.

?The difference between ambition and reality was painfully clear,? Mamedu said. ?Nonetheless, Yakubu operated under enormous challenges.?

New opportunity

Mamedu said the core lesson from Yakubu?s tenure is that ?technology matters, but credibility depends on transparency and fairness.?

He described Amupitan?s appointment as a new opportunity.

?With his background as a legal scholar and constitutional expert, Nigerians expect him to strengthen INEC?s credibility,? he said. ?He must fix logistical inefficiencies, ensure impartiality, and deliver a transparent Anambra election in 2025.?

He added: ?The future of Nigeria?s democracy depends not only on technology but on institutions that act fairly. What citizens demand now is integrity. If Prof. Amupitan leads with courage and transparency, he can restore faith in the ballot.?

Flawed

Yiaga Africa?s Programme Director, Cynthia Mbamalu, described Yakubu?s leadership as remarkable yet flawed.

She credited him for introducing advanced election technologies such as BVAS and IReV, which improved voter accreditation and transparency.

?He created more polling units, ended the use of voting points, and made voter access easier. He also initiated regular engagements with civil society, media, and political parties?, she said.

However, she noted that poor communication, weak enforcement, and delayed responses to crises dented his legacy.

?The 2023 elections exposed lapses in logistics, discipline, and transparency,? she said.

?When the IReV portal failed, INEC delayed explanations, creating confusion and distrust.?

Mbamalu added that the Commission sometimes failed to enforce its own guidelines or discipline erring staff. ?Courage was often lacking when bold decisions were needed,? she said.

Logistics failures

Mbamalu urged the new INEC Chairman to be innovative, swift, and firm.

?He must understand the system, build on the gains of his predecessor, and strengthen result management using technology,? she said.

?He must address logistics failures decisively and ensure that technology complements manual processes.?

She called for courage and integrity. ?Nigeria needs a non-partisan INEC Chairman who can say no to political interference and discipline erring officials,? she said.

She also emphasised stakeholder engagement and effective communication. ?INEC must maintain open channels with citizens and election observers,? she said. ?Success will depend on transparency, collaboration, and consistency.?

Finally, she urged Amupitan to focus on rebuilding citizens? trust.

?The best way to achieve that is through compliance with the law, impartiality, courage, and integrity,? she said. (Sunday Vanguard)

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