Breaking: New INEC Chairman Declares What He'll Do About 2023 Election Results
- Professor Joash Amupitan, the newly confirmed INEC Chairman, vowed to audit the IReV portal to identify and fix the glitches that undermined trust in the 2023 elections
- Amupitan told senators the review would restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and strengthen the use of technology ahead of the 2027 polls
- He also pledged to uphold INEC’s independence, address funding delays, and work with the National Assembly to ensure credible and transparent elections
The newly confirmed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has vowed to conduct a comprehensive audit of the commission’s Results Viewing (IReV) portal to uncover and fix the technical issues that affected public trust during the 2023 general elections.
INEC chief promises transparency and accountability
Source: Facebook
Speaking during his screening before the Senate on Thursday, Professor Amupitan said the audit would help restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system and strengthen the use of election technology ahead of the 2027 polls.
“I believe what happened in 2023 was subsumed as a glitch. Before the election, my understanding, based on a review of Supreme Court decisions, was that there was no clarity as to the purpose of IReV," Amupitan said.
He explained that both the IReV and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) were designed to enhance transparency and integrity, aligning Nigeria’s electoral process with global best practices.
Clarifying the role of IReV
Amupitan noted that a Supreme Court ruling later clarified that the IReV was not meant for electronic collation, but rather as a verification tool to ensure consistency between manually collated results and those uploaded electronically.
“The IReV was supposed to be a safeguard for comparison because the laws made by this distinguished Senate did not do away with manual collation. However, IReV was supposed to provide some guarantee for checks and balances,” he stated.
Audit of election technology planned
Professor Amupitan pledged to audit the IReV system to determine the root causes of the 2023 election glitches and assess whether the existing technology can meet Nigeria’s electoral needs, Vanguard reported.
“I have to audit the system, if I’m given the opportunity, to see what is actually wrong and whether we have what it takes as it is now.
“Because it is not just the INEC responsibility, but also that of other agencies like NCC, NIMC, and service providers who must work together to deliver technology that Nigerians can trust," he said.
Funding delays weakened INEC’s capacity
Amupitan also drew attention to the delayed release of election funds, saying it had consistently limited INEC’s capacity to prepare adequately for major polls.
“Although it has been legislated that funds should be released a year before elections, this often does not happen in time, leaving the institution financially constrained,” he lamented.
Pledges to strengthen INEC’s independence
Source: Twitter
The new chairman assured lawmakers that his administration would carry out a broader audit of INEC’s structure and constitutional framework to identify and remove the barriers limiting its independence and efficiency, Punch reported.
“We will look at the spirit and letter of the Constitution, as well as the laws made by the National Assembly.
“We will use our knowledge to ensure that INEC is independent. And we will have an audit to see what those limiting factors are and deal with them accordingly," he said.
He pledged to uphold the autonomy of the electoral body and work closely with the National Assembly to advance reforms aimed at ensuring free, fair, and credible elections.
Professor Joash Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who stepped down as INEC Chairman on 7 October 2025, marking a new chapter for Nigeria’s election management body.
Analyst urges INEC to rebuild trust through transparency
Reacting to Professor Amupitan’s pledge, public affairs analyst Hamma Hayatu, while speaking with Legit.ng on Sunday, October 19, said Nigerians are less interested in promises and more concerned with seeing genuine transparency in the electoral process.
“All Nigerians want is a fair and transparent electoral system,” Hayatu said.
He added:
“INEC must understand that trust is not restored by words but by actions. The 2023 experience left many disillusioned, and only a credible process can rebuild that confidence.”
He urged the new INEC leadership to prioritise accountability, stressing that “the success of democracy depends on how transparent and fair the electoral umpire chooses to be.”
Senate confirms Amupitan
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Senate has confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The confirmation came after a rigorous two-hour session in which senators questioned the nominee on issues ranging from electoral reforms and policy implementation to institutional independence and the Electoral Act.
Source: Legit.ng
