Professor Joash Amupitan, the newly sworn-in Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday arrived at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja to formally assume office.
He was ushered in to the INEC headquarters by members of his family and close friends.
A week after the Senate confirmed his appointment following a rigorous screening on October 16, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, swore in Professor Amupitan as the new INEC Chairman at the State House in Abuja.
During the ceremony, President Tinubu charged the new chairman to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of the commission.
“As Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, your nomination and confirmation reflect confidence in your capacity by both the Executive and the Legislature.
“Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years. To keep it strong, we must ensure that our electoral process remains free, fair, and credible.
“I therefore charge you, Professor, to protect the integrity of our elections and strengthen INEC’s institutional framework,” Tinubu said.
Amupitan arrived at the State House earlier in the day, dressed in a white agbada paired with a gold cap, exchanging greetings with onlookers ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. He was accompanied by some presidential aides.
Amupitan becomes the sixth substantive chairman of the electoral body since the return of democracy in 1999.
