Policy strategist Baba Yusuf has criticised the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, saying he failed to adequately address concerns surrounding his appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Arise News, Yusuf expressed disappointment with Amupitan’s handling of the controversy, arguing that his position as a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria should have placed him in a better position to understand the concerns and take steps to build public confidence in his leadership.
He noted that successive administrations, from former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the current administration of President Tinubu, had failed to reform the process through which the President appoints the INEC chairman.
According to Yusuf, the system has continued to generate concerns about the independence and neutrality of the electoral body.
He said he expected Amupitan, given his legal background and reputation for integrity, to demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and reassure Nigerians about his impartiality, particularly amid allegations and criticisms from some northern political, social and religious groups.
Yusuf further questioned some developments surrounding Amupitan’s emergence, including activities on his X (formerly Twitter) account and the appearance of individuals associated with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, around him.
He also raised concerns over reports of alleged hacking of INEC’s server and other controversies that emerged ahead of the elections.
Although he acknowledged that Amupitan performed reasonably well during the recent off-cycle elections under his leadership, Yusuf maintained that the challenges facing the commission at the national level required greater attention.
He specifically criticised the INEC chairman’s engagement with issues surrounding Chatham House, arguing that the commission should prioritise addressing operational shortcomings and restoring public trust.
Yusuf said the reported artificial intelligence-related issues involving the commission’s servers had further damaged confidence in INEC, adding that Nigerians expected accountability and decisive action from its leadership.
“I expected a house cleaning. I expected heads to roll. I expected responsibility to be held and accountability to show us that this man that everybody is wary of is a man that people should be comfortable with,” he said.
He added that Amupitan needed to do more than offer explanations and public statements, insisting that his leadership should focus on rebuilding confidence in the electoral commission.
“As far as I’m concerned, the rhetoric and the narration by Prof. Amupitan should do better than that,” Yusuf stated.
The policy strategist further described Amupitan as arguably the most unpopular INEC chairman in the history of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, even before conducting a general election.
He warned that such widespread concerns about the head of the electoral commission could undermine public confidence in the institution ahead of future elections.