Amupitan to Resume as INEC Chairman Next Week

By Deborah Oladapo

This development comes just weeks before the November 8 Anambra governorship election, as preparations within the commission intensify.

According to senior officials at the commission, Amupitan will resume immediately after his inauguration. “Prof. Amupitan will assume office on the day he is sworn in by the President,” a senior INEC official confirmed. “The tradition is that he gets sworn in before a Federal Executive Council meeting, and he would be escorted by National Commissioners to resume office immediately.”

Another director at the commission added that while the specific date of the swearing-in was yet to be fixed, it was imminent. “He will assume his position after his inauguration,” the official said.

Signs of preparation for the new chairman’s arrival have already begun to show within the commission. “I heard some of his personal staff have been coming around, expecting that he’ll be sworn in during the next FEC meeting,” an insider told AbujaPost.

Professor Amupitan, 58, a Professor of Law at the University of Jos and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was confirmed by the Senate last Thursday after a voice vote presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

He succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure recently came to an end. In the interim, National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu has been overseeing the affairs of the commission.

Meanwhile, INEC has reaffirmed its readiness for the Anambra governorship election. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, assured that preparations were on track.

“Permit me to assure you that INEC is fully prepared for the upcoming Anambra governorship election. All non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the state, while sensitive materials will arrive in due course under strict security arrangements,” Olumekun said during a forum with journalists in Awka.

He warned against fake news and misinformation, saying, “False stories and manipulated videos can create unnecessary tension and erode public trust. Let truth remain your only compass. Verify before amplifying.”

The Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Elizabeth Awgu, also confirmed that logistics had been finalised to ensure early deployment of materials across all areas of the state, including riverine communities.

“Materials will leave the CBN state headquarters on Thursday afternoon. If that happens, there will be no late arrival of materials. We are very prepared for this election,” she stated.

With his expected swearing-in next week, Professor Amupitan’s resumption is set to usher in a new phase for INEC as the commission moves to conduct a credible and transparent election in Anambra State.