Amupitan’s first misstep as a Square Peg in the INEC Hole

By Ike Abonyi 

“Cedibility is a fragile thing. It takes years to build, but only seconds to lose”- Unknown 

For me, Prof Joash Amupitan took the first wrong step by his appearance at the swearing-in ceremony. With his enviable curriculum vitae as a silk lawyer, outstanding teacher, and administrator, he would have avoided coming out first in Agbada, reminding us of the corrupt and flamboyant politician he is expected to tame by conducting an impeccable election for Nigerians. Some might say it doesn't matter but a good and serious dancer always shows it by their first step.

Dear Professor, Since your name was mentioned for the most turbulent job in the country, you have been receiving floods of greetings. Even before your resumption, some may have even offered you houses in London and America for your children for the dirty job they want you to do. The kind of inducement that will come to you will require God’s grace to resist, but it is a booby trap ostensibly to destroy all that you have already achieved.

Your job is risky, capable of wrecking all you have achieved in your life’s struggle. The highest position in Nigeria is the President of the country, a seat currently occupied by the man who appointed you, Bola Tinubu. The most important person today, politically speaking, is you. Why are you more important than the President? Because he will depend on you to keep his own job, and that's where your problem lies. Under your watch as a human resources manager for a company called Nigeria, those who employed you would expect you to aid in the recruitment of a CEO of the company who is not qualified, and who didn't pass the recruitment interview for the job? They would want you to facilitate the recruitment of a CEO whose credentials and background are such that he would be begging both the courts and the security agencies not to release his records to you for observation. They would not want you, to profile the next CEO looking out for competence, character, capacity, and commitment to the job? This is the job you have taken, a dicey job that can ruin you and your entire family before God and the Nigerian people. If you can say to hell with the Nigerian people as your predecessor, Prof Mahmoud, ostensibly did, will you say that to your creator who indeed has provided for you to this level? That is why you need prayer warriors around you not undertakers who will be promising to serve your greed.

At the core of Nigeria's problem over time is poor and inadequate political leadership which is largely due to the improper recruitment model fertilised by corrupt and greedy electoral bosses in the country 

Your profile mirrors you as a man who paid his dues professionally and in your career. As a lawyer, you have risen to the silk bar of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. As a teacher, you are a professor and a deputy Vice-Chancellor of one of the highly rated universities in the country. Family wise you appear to be happily married with four children.

With this type of background, your future and that of your children were guaranteed, even without this, your new job. In other words, you are not a hungry man but it may be too early to determine if you are a greedy man.

The man who gave you this job, President Bola Tinubu himself, confessed that the reason he chose you out of the lot contending and lobbying for it is because of your impeccable credentials. Pray that he would not be the person to destroy it.

But all the eulogies notwithstanding, Nigerians are no longer carried away by credentials but by what the person becomes in office. Ten years ago, when Prof Yakubu Mahmoud was appointed, his credentials were immaculate, but ten years later, he is enrolled in the black book of history as the most corrupt electoral officer ever.

Out of the 13 National Electoral bosses that served this country from independence, starting with Chief Eyo Esua, Prof Mahmoud is leaving the stage indisputably as the worst of all. You are coming in as the 14th INEC Chairman with a blank sheet to write your own story.

As a political reporter for many decades, I have been part of the nation’s electoral bosses from Prof Eme Awa to date and I will recommend you take your time to study why some failed and others succeeded. It would help you a lot.

Prof Awa did not stay long before relinquishing the job when those who appointed him wanted to twist his hand against his principle between 1987 to 1989, his successor Prof Humphrey Nwosu tried his best to live by his principle and didn't have it easy but he left a name that places him in the positive aspect of the history book. Prof Attahiru Jega wasn't too wonderful but he was lucky to have the commission tilt towards the then public opinion, plus having a civil President who was conscious of public opinion and the rule of law.

In your case, you are not too lucky, the man who gave you this job is a grab-and-run man who believes that the end justifies the means.

When providence provides you with a job that challenges you to do good and get God’s blessings or do evil and wait for the repercussions, the choice will be yours. Your predecessor chose the latter and is working away with unprecedented wealth and other dubious privileges but under the permanent curse of Nigerian voters. I will advise you, therefore, to study thoroughly these past INEC Chairmen and find out why some floundered while others made appreciable progress.

What would be agitating your mind now is how to accomplish your goals and come out clean? In other words, you will be looking out for the Strategic Imperatives for Sustaining Electoral Integrity and Public Trust.

​My advisory note will outline critical areas requiring proactive attention to sustain the integrity of the national electoral process, reinforce public confidence, and ensure operational readiness for the 2027 elections. Your focus must be on continuous institutional strengthening, technological resilience, and transparent stakeholder engagement.

​Your advocacy from day one must be stringent, transparent, and non-partisan in selection criteria for all senior electoral appointments (Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners, etc. This may be beyond you because most of them are appointed by politicians, but you must insist on the process being merit-based and demonstrably free of political affiliation to buttress the perception of neutrality for public trust.  

The staff you are inheriting is largely corrupt, and you must continually review and strengthen internal control mechanisms to prevent undue influence, address staff misconduct swiftly, and ensure all decisions adhere strictly to the electoral law and established guidelines. As a seasoned lawyer, both in theory and practice, you know the vital importance of playing by the rules.

One area where previous electoral bosses were roped in is in the area of funding. The government funding you would want to take their pound of flesh, therefore you must from day one push for financial autonomy for the commission, ensuring timely and adequate funding not only for elections but also for continuous operations, research, and capacity building.

Technology innovation was supposed to facilitate a free and credible election, but in the 2023 poll, the commission used glitches to deliberately muddle up issues. If you really set out to make a positive difference you must work towards operational efficiency and technological resilience by maintaining a comprehensive audit and stress-test schedule for all election technology, eg voter accreditation, result transmission, etc. You must prioritise the continuous audit and cleanup of the National Register of Voters to eliminate duplicates, underage voters, and records of deceased persons, enhancing data accuracy and public trust in the figures.

One notable area the commission always fails is in the area of logistics especially on election days. That entails that you must revamp logistics planning, especially for difficult-to-reach areas, to ensure early deployment of materials and personnel. Collaborate closely with security agencies to develop a security master plan that guarantees the safety of electoral officials, materials, and voters without intimidating the electorate.

Politicians deliberately create tension that affects the commission’s operation, to be able to manage them, ensure stakeholders' engagement through continuous dialogue, establish a structure, and year-round engagement platforms with political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), security agencies, the media, and development partners. Use these forums to communicate planned reforms, receive feedback, and address concerns proactively.

​Voter education is also necessary to reduce voter apathy. This can be done through various voting instructions utilising multiple languages and channels, to counter misinformation/disinformation, especially in the digital space, and educate citizens on the electoral legal framework and their rights.

All the above narratives are just a reminder because as a law teacher and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, you should know what is required in law for the conduct of a credible election except to draw your attention to the importance of maintaining 

​ independence and impartiality in all decisions, ensuring equal treatment of all political parties and stakeholders. Ensure transparent processes and procedures, fostering trust and confidence in the electoral system. And upholding the highest standards of integrity, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring the security of electoral processes and consistency in decision-making especially in electoral laws and regulations. If you remain mindful of these considerations, challenges, and best practices, and put God ahead of all, you can effectively lead the Electoral Commission and ensure credible, transparent, and peaceful elections. May God be your guide.