The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has called for deeper national consensus, strengthened collaboration, and sustained civic engagement to secure Nigeria’s democracy. He made the remarks earlier today at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room’s 9th annual National Stakeholders’ Forum on Elections held at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, with the theme “Securing Nigeria’s Democracy: Building Consensus for Credible Elections and Accountable Governance.”
In his address, Prof. Amupitan described the forum as a “vital national space for meaningful dialogue,” noting that the theme captures the shared responsibility of government institutions, civil society, and citizens in safeguarding democratic governance.
Securing Democracy Through Consensus and Credibility
Breaking down the theme, the INEC Chairman described Nigeria’s democracy as being under constant threat from misinformation, electoral malpractice, and violence. He stressed that securing the system requires a multi-sectoral approach.
He emphasised that credible elections remain the foundation of democracy, achievable only when political parties, the media, security agencies, civil society, and INEC collectively agree to uphold electoral rules and principles.
According to him, accountable governance naturally flows from credible elections, as legitimacy empowers citizens to hold leaders to higher standards.
Prof. Amupitan highlighted INEC’s continued deployment of technology empowered by the Electoral Act 2022 to enhance transparency and credibility. He cited the BVAS as a “fundamental redefinition” of voter accreditation and the IReV portal as a new benchmark for public trust.
However, he acknowledged persistent challenges with telecommunications infrastructure, noting that achieving real-time result uploads across 176,000 polling units remains difficult. INEC, he said, is working closely with the NCC and exploring alternative technologies to address these gaps.
The Chairman expressed concern over declining voter participation, referencing the 27% turnout in the 2023 general elections as a warning sign. He highlighted the successful mobilisation in Anambra State—where PVC collection rose from 63.9% to 98.80% after targeted outreach as proof that improved voter mobilisation is possible.
Prof. Amupitan revealed new national data from the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. INEC has so far recorded 2,685,725 completed registrations, including 1,576,137 online pre-registrations and 1,109,588 physical captures.
Osun leads the country with 208,357 new registrations, followed by Kano (159,669), Sokoto (152,650), and Imo (145,561). Lagos and Borno also recorded over 123,000 each. With the first quarter of the CVR ending on December 10, he urged stakeholders to sustain public sensitisation until the final conclusion of the exercise.
The Commission, he announced, is preparing for the 2026 Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory, scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026. These elections will mark the end of the current four-year tenure of the six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councillors elected in February 2022.
Prof. Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s collaboration with security agencies through ICCES to combat vote-buying and voter intimidation. He stressed the role of civil society in monitoring compliance, promoting voter education, and holding political actors accountable.
The INEC Chairman reiterated that building credible elections is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing commitment to innovation, transparency, and resilience. He outlined the Commission’s plans to mitigate connectivity issues, simplify user interfaces, and strengthen digital and security infrastructure.
He concluded with a reminder that democratic leadership must focus on long-term national interest, quoting Simon Sinek:
“Leadership is not about the next election; it’s about the next generation
