In the aftermath of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, civil society organizations, or CSOs, have urged the Senate to be open and honest in the selection process.
News reporters were reportedly given access to the CSOs’ statement by Yiaga Africa on Saturday.
The civic organizations pointed out that the Nigerian Senate’s obligation to carry out a thorough, exacting, and open screening procedure is not replaced by Amupitan’s nomination, which was purportedly approved unanimously by the Council of State.
Together, Yiaga Africa, Women Rights Advancement Protection Alternative, WRAPA, International Press Center, IPC, the Kukah Center, Center for Media and Society, TAF Africa, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Nigeria Women Trust Fund, Accountability Lab, Nigeria, and YERP Naija Campaign have signed the statement.
The groups believed that the Senate could only inspire public trust through a thorough, exacting, and open screening procedure.
The Senate was also tasked with ensuring that the process is broadcast, transparent, and inclusive of citizen and civil society input through petitions, memoranda, and participation in the confirmation hearings.
The CSOs have also demanded that the Senate conduct a thorough investigation into his qualifications, public records, electoral reform vision, INEC’s institutional strengthening, and ability to safeguard electoral integrity and withstand political meddling.
The nominee’s plans to address systemic issues, including as voter registration, result transmission, and the enforcement of INEC’s rules and regulations, should also be examined by the Senate.
In accordance with the Framework for Citizens Engagement in the INEC Appointment Process, which the undersigned civil society organizations previously provided to the Senate, Nigerians anticipate that the Senate confirmation process will be accessible to the public.
The statement added, “This includes full disclosure of the nominee’s qualifications, history of public service, and ability to conduct elections without political interference.”
Although the groups stated that they recognized Amupitan’s academic and professional achievements and therefore had no objections to his nomination in principle, they pointed out that the current electoral situation in Nigeria necessitates an INEC that is fiercely independent, impervious to political manipulation, and steadfast in its commitment to holding credible elections.
They proposed that if the Senate confirms the next INEC chairman, he must have moral bravery, oppose political meddling, and operate more effectively when there is no political influence.
After Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s term ended, the Presidency announced that Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, would be the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC. We, the undersigned civil society organizations that work on democracy and elections in Nigeria and throughout Africa, acknowledge this announcement.
This follows discussion with the Council of State, which apparently approved his nomination unanimously. However, we must emphasize that the Nigerian Senate’s need to perform due diligence through a thorough and open screening procedure that fosters public trust is not replaced by the Council of State’s approval.
“We restate our long-standing demand for an open, inclusive, and citizen-centered appointment process that aligns with the suggestions of important electoral reform interventions such as the Citizens Memorandum on Electoral Reforms, the Justice Uwais Report, and the Ken Nnamani Committee Report.
The statement further said, “Yiaga Africa and other Civil Society Organizations are urging the Senate to make sure Prof. Amupitan exhibits moral courage and resists political meddling.”
