By John Umeh
The Senate has confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his screening on Thursday.
During the session, Prof. Amupitan pledged to carry out a comprehensive audit of the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal to address the technical failures that dented public trust in the 2023 general elections.
According to him, the IReV, alongside the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), was introduced to guarantee transparency, but glitches during last year’s polls raised doubts about its reliability.
“What happened in 2023 was subsumed as a glitch,” Amupitan told lawmakers. “The IReV was never meant to replace manual collation but to serve as a safeguard for verification. My responsibility is to audit the system, identify what went wrong, and work with relevant agencies to deliver technology Nigerians can trust.”
He explained that the audit would involve not just INEC but also supporting institutions like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and private service providers.
Amupitan also lamented the late release of election funds, despite laws mandating early disbursement. He noted that financial delays have historically weakened INEC’s capacity to prepare adequately for elections.
Beyond technology, the new INEC boss promised a broader review of the commission’s legal and operational framework to strengthen its independence. “We will look at the spirit and letter of the Constitution, as well as the laws of this Senate, to ensure INEC remains truly independent,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan takes over from Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who stepped down as INEC Chairman on October 7, 2025. His confirmation has been welcomed as a chance to restore faith in Nigeria’s electoral system and push forward overdue reforms.
