• NENF insists on peaceful, credible, tech-driven polls
• NNPP founder tasks Amupitan on redeeming INEC’s battered image

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the newly-nominated Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, to prioritise the prosecution of politicians and others suspected to be responsible for electoral offences since 2015.
 
Relatedly, the Northern Ethnic Nationalities Forum (NENF) charged Amupitan to ensure the conduct of a peaceful, credible and technologically-driven poll in 2027.
   
Meanwhile, the founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Boniface Aniebonam, expressed support for the nomination of Amupitan, charging him to redeem INEC’s battered image.
 
SERAP urged him to prioritise the amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections in 2027, in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution 1999 and the country’s international obligations.
 
The body also urged him to ensure that any reform of the Electoral Act includes provisions for the timely prosecution of electoral offences and voters’ access to justice and effective remedies for violations of their fundamental rights.
 
The National Council of State (NCS), last week, unanimously approved Amupitan, who was nominated by President Bola Tinubu, as the new INEC chair. If confirmed by the Senate, he will replace Mahmood Yakubu, who left the position last week, weeks before the expiration of his second term of five years.

In a letter at the weekend and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation described impunity for past electoral offences as a major barrier to free and fair elections in Nigeria.
 
SERAP said: “Unless the legacy of impunity for these grave electoral offences is combated and perpetrators, especially high-ranking politicians and their sponsors, are effectively prosecuted and voters provided with access to justice, those contemplating electoral crimes will feel unconstrained in future elections.”
 
According to SERAP, the general elections and off-cycle elections conducted since 2015 have been characterised by grave electoral offences, including violence, bribery, vote-buying, conspiracy and undue influence, making a mockery of INEC.
 
“High-ranking politicians and their sponsors are rarely brought to justice for electoral offences, reinforcing a culture of impunity for violations of Nigerians’ democratic rights.”
 
“There cannot be a fair electoral process if the body managing the electoral process fails to ensure the effective investigation and prosecution of electoral offences and access of voters to justice and effective remedies,” it stated.

NENF Chairman, Dr Dominic Alancha, in a statement, at the weekend, congratulated Amupitan on his historic appointment as the Chairman of INEC.
 
He noted that the appointment marked a significant milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and restoring public confidence in the electoral process. 
 
Amupitan, a distinguished legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), NENF added, would surely bring to the commission a sterling record of service, integrity and intellectual excellence.
 
“His appointment reflects a strong commitment to meritocracy and national inclusiveness, and the Forum believes he will steer INEC with independence, transparency and excellence at a time our democracy demands bold, ethical and visionary leadership,” it noted.

DESCRIBING the appointment as a step in the right direction, despite the controversies surrounding it, Aniebonam said the incoming electoral chief would face a daunting task ahead and must “hit the ground running” once confirmed.
 
“The first task for Amupitan is to change the battered image of INEC and return the trust of Nigerians in the umpire,” News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the NNPP founder as saying. “INEC’s image has been so eroded over the years that the first task before Amupitan is righting the wrongs of the commission and re-creating confidence in it.
 
“Amupitan needs to study the commission thoroughly and correct issues that Mahmoud ignored.”
 
Aniebonam said the President must have found Amupitan competent enough for the job, adding that Tinubu’s decision reflected a sincere effort to reform governance institutions.