The Unified Nigeria Youth Forum (UNYF) has called on the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, to prioritise accessibility, transparency, and institutional accountability as he assumes office.

National President of the Forum, Comrade Toriah Olajide Filani, made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, stressing that the credibility of future elections would depend largely on how inclusive and accessible the voter registration process becomes under the new INEC leadership.

Filani expressed concern that millions of eligible Nigerians remain disenfranchised due to administrative bottlenecks and limited access to Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

He noted that although INEC had introduced several digital innovations, many citizens, especially those in rural communities, still lack internet access and other digital infrastructure.

“In Lagos, for instance, people queue as early as 2:00 a.m. just to get numbers for registration, yet many still go home unattended. Such experiences discourage participation and weaken public trust in the system,” he lamented.

The UNYF president described as worrisome the low voter turnout during elections, noting that in a country of nearly 300 million people, fewer than 50 million registered voters actively participate in the electoral process.

He urged Prof. Amupitan to adopt a decentralised and people-friendly approach to voter registration and PVC collection to ensure that every eligible Nigerian can exercise their civic rights without stress or exclusion.

Commenting on the recent gesture by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who provided residential houses for judges, Filani said that while the initiative demonstrates respect for the judiciary, such projects should be properly reflected in the national budget to ensure transparency and prevent misinterpretation.

“Every act of governance, no matter how noble, must follow due process. If the government intends to build houses for judges, it should be clearly captured in the national budget to maintain public confidence and accountability,” he said.