President Bola Tinubu has tasked the newly sworn-in INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to defend the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and strengthen the institutional capacity of the electoral body.
President Tinubu gave the charge on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, after administering the oath of office to the new INEC Chairman during an expanded session of the National Economic Council.
The President said Amupitan’s nomination and subsequent confirmation by the Senate underscored the confidence reposed in him by both the executive and legislative arms of government.
He noted that the new assignment demanded integrity, dedication, and patriotism, as the eyes of the nation would be on INEC under his leadership.
“Your nomination to the important role and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate is a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the Executive and the legislative arms of government.,
“The significant achievement marked the beginning of a challenging yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibilities with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism.”
Tinubu acknowledged that Nigeria’s democracy has recorded notable progress in the last 25 years, marked by innovations and reforms that have strengthened democratic institutions. He, however, stressed that sustaining the progress would require a renewed commitment to the core principles of democracy in a complex, multi-layered society.
While describing the electoral process as the lifeblood of democracy, the President said it must protect the people’s exclusive right to choose their leaders and determine their collective future. He emphasised that the credibility of elections must remain beyond reproach to sustain public trust.
“Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years. We have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly our democratic systems, through innovations and reforms. We have learnt a great deal along the way and have improved significantly from where we were many years ago. We must now remain committed to the principles that underpin democracy in a complex, multifaceted society.
“The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy, safeguarding the people’s exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future to ensure that our democracy continues to flourish.
“No electoral system is flawless,” he cautioned.
President Tinubu further insisted that every phase of the electoral process—from voter registration to campaigning, polling, vote collation, and result declaration—must be transparent, non-violent, and credible.
He said; “The integrity of our electoral system must be beyond reproach. It is important that our elections are free, fair and credible. We must continue to improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and looking to today.
“To maintain public trust in elections, electoral integrity must be protected in all aspects of the process from registration to campaigning; immediate access, voting and counting should be transparent non non-violent and very credible.
“No electoral system is flawless, but since elections are vital to a nation’s future, it is essential to continually strengthen institutions, ensuring they are robust, resilient and safeguarded against artificial setbacks.”
The President urged Professor Amupitan to see his appointment as a call to service at a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy and to work tirelessly to improve the electoral system, address past challenges, and innovate for the future.
“I therefore charge you, Professor Amupitan, as you take on this important assignment to process the integrity of our elections and electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC,” the President said..
President Tinubu further tasked Amupitan to serve beyond reproach and demonstrate his commitment to free, fair and credible polls with the November 8th, Anambra State off cycle election.