President Bola Tinubu has charged the newly appointed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan to serve with integrity and be beyond reproach, adding that next month’s Anambra governorship election will be his first litmus test as electoral umpire.
The President gave the charge yesterday while administering the oath of office on the new INEC helmsman at the Presidential Villa. He said: “Your nomination and subsequent confirmation by the Senate are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arms of government.
“This significant achievement marks the beginning of a challenging, yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibility with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism,” the President said. According to him: “Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years.
We have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly in electoral systems, through innovations and reforms. “The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy that grants the people the exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral process must be beyond reproach.”
Tinubu stated that the governorship election on November 8, 2025, in Anambra State will serve as a litmus test for the new leadership of the electoral commission.
“To maintain public trust in the election, electoral integrity must be protected. All aspects of the process – from registration to campaigning, the media access, voting and counting should be transparent, non–violent and credible.
“I therefore charge you, Prof Amupitan, as you take on this important assignment to protect the integrity of our electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC.”
The swearing-in ceremony followed the Senate’s confirmation of the INEC Chairman’s nomination on October 16. Amupitan succeeded Prof Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC Chairman ran from 2015 to 2025. The new INEC Chairman has assumed office immediately.
