The nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sparked significant anticipation and debate across Nigeria. Stakeholders from political parties, civil society organizations, and governance bodies are outlining critical reforms they believe should define his tenure, emphasizing the urgent need to restore public trust, deepen electoral transparency, and rebuild confidence in the nation's electoral system.

The Council of State unanimously approved Professor Amupitan's nomination, which President Bola Tinubu subsequently forwarded to the Senate for confirmation. This appointment comes at a crucial time, coinciding with preparations for forthcoming off-season elections. If confirmed by the Senate, Professor Amupitan's immediate responsibilities would include finalizing preparations for the Anambra State Governorship election scheduled for November 8. This would be followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections in February 2026, the Ekiti State Governorship election in June 2026, and the Osun State Governorship election in August 2026.

Reactions to Amupitan's appointment have been varied. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the civil society group, Situation Room, have challenged the Senate to ensure a transparent confirmation process, warning against 'rubber-stamping' the nomination. They stress that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, which faced public suspicion after the 2023 general elections, now depends on the transparency of the upper chamber's hearing. Similarly, a group called Vanguard for Credible Representation expressed cautious optimism, hoping Amupitan would implement the electoral reforms he had previously advocated for.

Amidst the discourse, a clarification emerged regarding Professor Amupitan's past affiliations. Mr. Babatunde Ogala, the erstwhile coordinator of President Bola Tinubu's legal team at the 2023 presidential election tribunal, debunked viral claims on social media that Amupitan was involved in defending the president's victory. Ogala categorically stated that Amupitan was "never, at any point, a member of the Tinubu Presidential Legal Team" and that his name did not appear among the over 123 legal practitioners engaged for the assignment. He challenged anyone peddling such falsehoods to produce verifiable evidence, urging for national conversations anchored on truth and decency.

The Presidency, through the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, affirmed that Professor Amupitan’s appointment is a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, reflecting a rare consensus. Dare emphasized that the new INEC chairman needs courage, independence, and transparency to rebuild public trust in the electoral body. He highlighted Amupitan's background in academia, corporate governance, and public service as positioning him to restore credibility. President Tinubu himself based his choice on Amupitan’s apolitical stance, integrity, and impeccable record of service.

However, Public Affairs Analyst Dickson Iroegbu condemned the process that led to Amupitan's appointment, calling it "flawed." Speaking on Arise Television, Iroegbu expressed low expectations, drawing a contrast with the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s acknowledgment of a flawed election process in 2007. He questioned the composition of the Council of State meeting and expressed concern that despite an impeccable personal record, an individual could be "smeared" within the INEC system.

Conversely, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, expressed optimism that Professor Amupitan's extensive background in litigation would enable him to "sanitize Nigeria’s electoral process." Dantalle acknowledged the solid foundation laid by the immediate past administration of Professor Mahmood Yakubu in technological innovation but stressed the need for the National Assembly to pass electoral reform recommendations into law.

In other significant developments from the electoral body, INEC addressed media reports concerning a Federal High Court, Oshogbo judgment from September 29, 2023. National Commissioner Sam Olumekun clarified that INEC was not in breach of the court order. He explained that the commission had complied by filing processes on Monday, October 6, 2023, within the deadline, to show it had complied with the judgment and order of recognizing the Action Alliance (AA) executive elected on October 7, 2023. However, INEC partially complied by listing only four national executives without the National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, because Omoaje had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging a superior Court of Appeal judgment that sacked him as the party's National Chairman. Olumekun appealed to media organizations to fact-check reports to avoid misleading the public.

Furthermore, INEC provided an update on the ongoing online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), reporting that registrations have reached 6,856,979. The breakdown shows females constitute 3,581,562 (52.23%); males 3,275,417 (47.77%); youths aged 18-34 years account for 4,689,63; students 1,728,384; and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) 154,479. The completed online pre-registrations and physical registrations combined reached 1,216,048 within six weeks, with females making up 55.53% of these completed registrations and youths accounting for 897,676.