His predecessor exited office with a baggage.
He thought, he was clever by half not conscious of the fact that Nigerians were monitoring every step he took to manipulate 2023 presidential election results in favor of his client.
Prof Mahmoud Yakubu while superintending the 2023 presidential and other elections, proved his incapacitation and glaring insincerity beyond comprehension. He disappointed Nigerians to please those who appointed him at the detriment of a stable Nigeria.
He exhibited high class pretence of holier than thou.
Today, we have a Joash Amupitan dragged from the Ivory tower for the tasking job that he lobbied to have. Amupitan has of recent made a declaration that the 2027 general election will be free, fair, transparent and technologically driven, that should ordinarily give Nigerians cause for joy.
This is especially, as he vowed that INEC would not tolerate any misconduct in the electoral process.
According to him, 2027 provides INEC with a historic opportunity to rewrite the history of elections in Nigeria and set a new benchmark for election management in Africa. Amupitan emphasized. “Our goal is clear: The 2027 general election must be free and fair and be a watershed moment in Nigeria’s election history.
I want us to build an institution that is recognized globally.
Let it be said that, under our watch, INEC became the best election management body in Africa—-a beacon of integrity, a model of technological efficiency and a fortress of democratic values.” The announcement is timely, commendable and encouraging, but remains to be seen and judged.
It is one thing to make such encouraging and commendable statements, and, it is another to actualize them, most especially under an incompetent, insincere and clueless presidency.
But going by past experiences, should we trust Amupitan and INEC in the claim of delivering credible elections in 2027 free from external influence, interference and internal manipulation? Put in another form, to what extent should Nigerians hold Amupitan to his sweet and promising statement? The question is indeed a tough one.
Guesses could provide leads but the final answer lies with the INEC Chairman himself.
Going by the 1999 Constitution (amended), INEC Chairman is appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. While INEC is designed to be an independent body, in practice, but in reality, it reports administrative and operational matters to the appointing authority,—the President, which makes a huge mockery of its claimed independence for easy manipulation.
Amupitan was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and inaugurated on October 23, 2025.
The circumstances, environment of his appointment and assumption of office matters to critical minds for deeper understanding.
Consideration of the first admonition in Robert Greene’s classic, “The 48 Laws of Power,” which outlines strategies for obtaining and maintaining power in various situations, is one to be taken seriously here.
The principle, “Never outshine the master”, counsels; “Always make those above you feel constantly superior. In your desire to please and impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite—inspire fear and insecurity…..”
This may pose a big obstacle to whatever good intentions Amupitan may have in sanitizing the electoral system, assuming he has any for implementation.
Tinubu who appointed him, does not take prisoners but goes for a straight kill.
His buccaneer attitude to acquisition and retention of power is legendary. He does not see power as a means to an end but the end itself. For him, in going for power, fairness and transparency are mere expressions that only matter on the pieces of paper they are written.
Everything, every strategy is permitted as long as it leads to the desired end. In the run-up to the 2023 election, even as a candidate, Tinubu, as a typical area father agbero politician, brought and bread under…….in Lagos, lectured his supporters that power is not served in the kitchen but to be grabbed and run away with.
And he did exactly that at the election in cahoots with the heavily corrupted umpire (INEC) under Prof Mahmoud Yakubu and a compromised judiciary presided over by kleptomaniacs in wigs.
Pulling through such brazen outcome from the sidelines is an indication that Tinubu can go to any unimaginable extent to retain his hold on the seat as he goes for reelection, especially as his job performance scorecard is not exciting and encouraging.
Tinubu is a squirrel, deft and Machiavellian.
Those he had supported to access power, who later tried to assert their freedom, have their sordid stories to tell. Former Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and Akinwunmi Ambode are instances for reference.
Rauf was appointed by Tinubu as one of his Commissioners in Lagos State.
From that position, he aspired for Osun State governorship position and got elected.
Next was his ministerial appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari. As federal Minister,
Rauf made an attempt to assert his freedom to the displeasure of the Lagos Area father domiciled at Bourdillion.
Today, Rauf so desperate for his freedom from the grip of Tinubu, abandoned the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he co-founded to the vibrant African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a step towards keeping a distance from anything to do with Tinubu.
Former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode was denied a second term when he tried to be out of Tinubu’s direct control.
Lately, the present Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was almost bloodied for raising his voice beyond limits prescribed by the Area father.
This is where the fear on the extent Amupitan can go in translating his words to action bothers.
At any rate, the choice remains that of Amupitan to make or mar.
As a Muslim, let me hurriedly remind Amupitan supposedly a Christian by name that he may have come across the story of Lot and Gomorrah in Genesis Chapter 18 of the Holy Bible.
The narrative teaches that despite the atrocities committed by inhabitants of the two cities for which they were destroyed by God, Lot and his family were saved for being upright. Recalling the stewardship of past INEC Chairmen and how they handled the onerous assignment may not be all that encouraging.
But, there were few like Professors Eme Awa, Humphrey Nwosu and Attahiru Jega who stood above board and exited the commission with their integrity and credibility intact.
While Awa, Professor of history refused manipulation, and instead, threw in the towel to save his hard-earned reputation, Nwosu braved the odds and conducted the 1993 elections that ranks the fairest in the political history of Nigeria that attracted an annulment for its sincere conduct against the wish of Babangida’s led military junta.
Prof Attahiru Jega, who superintended the 2015 elections, stood his ground against intimidation, corruption, and open threats from clownish and bigoted politicians. He fought the odds and exited as an Honorable Gentleman, highly respected. Amupitan can follow suit if his reputation and that of his family means anything to him.
At 59, already a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), he may have a lot to preserve and not fritter on altars of illicit material cravings and fake comfort of office.
University of Jos, where Amupitan schooled and served as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) before his appointment, ranks among the best cradles of knowledge in Nigeria that prides in discipline.
This is the heritage Amupitan is carrying and should not allow to be sullied by any dangled carrot or promise.
His academic records and other accomplishments are equal considerations he must as a responsible academician guard jealously if he so cares. A slip will leave him deserted by genuine academicians, friends and family members by the time he ends his working tour at INEC.
He should labor to enquire from his predecessor and others who occupied the same office before him and fluffed their chances of setting good template in election management, how it is today out of service, and how the larger society mocks them. He can also note how history has been fair to those who worked with untainted conscience. The options are those of his.
Let him observe how the public catches cold when engaging in issues related to dented images such as those of Godwin Emefiele, James Ibori, Ahmed Idris, Beta Edu, Halima Shehu, Sadiyya Umar Farouk, Diezani Alli-son Madueke, Jolly Nyame, Joshua Dariye, AbdulHameed Aliyu Abati, Mele Kyari, Ayo Fayose, Timipre Sylva, Yahaya Bello, Nyeson Wike, Abubakar Malami, AbdulRasheed Bawa, Tafa Balogun and AbdulRasheed Maina, John Yakubu Yusuf and several other identified itchy-fingered vandals who vandalized entrusted public resources and bastardized the trust reposed in them against the sacredness of the Holy Books they took an Oath with for their pecuniary interests.
Let Amupitan prove to be an opposite who needs no FCT parcel of land for anything from Wike.
Who needs no Greek gift from anyone, and needs nothing material from any other person for whatever reason. The eating lies in the pudding but the world is watching with keen interest and monitoring!
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues.
