The Amupitan you do not know, by Ray Umokoro

Amupitan belongs to this rare tribe of integrity. His storied career has coursed through several work environments yet he remains untainted.

Professor Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) since October 23, 2025 has been misjudged, misunderstood and wrongly deconstructed by a section of Nigerians. This is understandable when you consider that Amupitan, a professor of law, is now chairman of INEC, the elections management body saddled with the responsibility of superintending electoral matters in Nigeria.

And why not? Politics revolves around different political parties with divergent interests and philosophies. It is called partisan politics. It hardly needs conjecturing that any election conducted among these political parties is viewed from diverse perspectives. Such election is usually seen as free, fair and credible by the winning party. For the losers, the same election is neither free nor fair. So, win or lose, INEC is always under fire. As the winners hail INEC for its transparency and diligence in the conduct of an election, the losers roll out their armada of critics and sundry hirelings to hit hard at INEC. A real catch-22 for the electoral umpire and its officials. That’s what elections have become in Nigeria. An occasion to applaud and to rebuke.

But this does not erode the fact that some election officers at different levels, came to their beat with very commendable credentials, unimpeachable character and a badge of integrity. Over the years, we have seen INEC chairmen, commissioners and returning officers who demonstrated the nobility and constancy of character. Remember Professor Humphrey Nwosu of June 12, 1993 election fame? By his account, he shunned dainties dangled before him by the military to rig what is now referred to as Nigeria’s most credible election, though it turned inconclusive. He resisted the perils of the jackboot and insisted that MKO Abiola, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won the election.

There was Professor Nnenna Oti, the Returning Officer in the 2023 governorship election in Abia state. Oti is the amazon who exposed one of the flaws of Nigeria elections: procuring victory by financial inducement, not by popular votes. She returned Alex Otti of Labour Party as winner of that election. Otti was the popular choice and the preferred candidate of Abia electorate. We remember her popular statement: “They came with their money, they came with their intimidation.” But at the risk of her life, lioness Oti stood on the side of the people. She upheld, not subvert, the mandate of Abia people.

These two personae, Nwosu and Oti, are not just professors; they belong to a rare tribe. The tribe of integrity. Not many people belong here. Yet, many mouth it. They speak of integrity with feisty passion. But they moult the same garb of integrity under the crush of money and other niceties. Integrity is not a fad. It does not fade. It is not sloganeering either. Integrity is doing the right thing in good times and in bad times. It is doing good even when you have the opportunity and situational capacity to do otherwise. That’s what Nwosu and Oti demonstrated.

The current INEC Chairman, Amupitan, belongs to this rare tribe of integrity. His storied career has coursed through several work environments yet he remains untainted. A star-spangled diamond. Amupitan wears a garment of veracity. He bears the emblem of unvarnished verities. Brutally frank, courageous with a veneer of measured calmness. He is not one who hunches under the vainglorious weight of ethno-religious bigotry. He has been apolitical, a trait he cherishes till this day. The more you get closer to him, the more you see a rare patriot, an accomplished academic and lawyer, who is always conscious of his place in the annals of humankind. That is the man many Nigerians do not know. Some doubt his badge of honour. Some even question his professorship. Haba! Here comes Amupitan who in his undergraduate years at the University of Jos, graduated top of his class in 1987. But he was not only the best graduating law student, he also won several awards including the Richard Akinjide’s Prize and the University of Jos Chancellor’s Prize.

You see, he’s not just a professor of law. He’s a multiple awards winner. At the University of Jos where he was Deputy Vice Chancellor, he was known for his firmness, candour and rectitude. This is the personality he brought to bear at his new station, INEC. And in barely 10 months, Amupitan has proven the constancy of character.

Under him, INEC has conducted four major off cycle elections plus six legislative bye-elections. The Anambra guber election of November 8, 2025 in which Chukwuma Soludo (APGA) won with 418,817 votes, defeating Nicholas Ukachukwu of the ruling APC by a very wide margin; the FCT Area Council elections of February 21, 2026 with APC winning five out of the six chairmanship seats; the Ekiti State governorship election of June 20, 2026 which returned Biodun Oyebanji (APC) as winner by a wide margin with 319,224 votes. The latest was the Osun State governorship election held on August 15, 2026 in which Ademola Adeleke (Accord Party) was re-elected with 511,067 votes, defeating Bola Oyebamiji (APC) who polled 444,815. In between, there had been a couple of legislative bye-elections. In all, Amupitan’s spirit of fairness and justice was writ large. He could not be accused of partisanship. Neither was the blight of polls gifting emblazoned on him. All the elections he has conducted so far bear the seal of credibility. Even the opposition parties applaud his steadfastness to the principles and values of free and fair elections. That is the Amupitan those close to him can vouch for his many values: soft-spoken, calm; yet ramrod straight, decisive and firm.

Despite the toxic manifestations of Nigerian politicians; a people who cannot even achieve unity within their respective political parties, Amupitan has in the last 10 months maintained a demure calmness. Railed at, accused of partisanship by some politicians, he remains focused on the responsibilities of his office and on his allegiance to Nigerians. If the morning shows the day, and truly it does, Nigerians are about to witness free, fair and credible elections in 2027. Amupitan’s stellar performance in the elections conducted under his supervision these past 10 months point to better electoral days ahead. His pedigree lends credence to this. His utterances and conduct preface untainted credibility of 2027 general elections. But he needs the support of Nigerians, security personnel, media, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

But more significantly, he needs divine guidance and protection. A man who can acquit himself in so little is capable of acquitting himself in so much. Professor Amupitan is that man. Yes, he can!

Umukoro, public policy analyst, writes from Abuja.