A former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Mustapha Lecky, has said the newly appointed Chairman of the Commission, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), will face a daunting task of rebuilding public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Dr Lecky, who spoke on Thursday during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, noted that INEC suffered a major reputational decline following controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections.
His remarks came barely 12 hours after the National Council of State approved Amupitan’s nomination from the North-Central region as the next Chairman of the Commission.
According to Lecky, the new helmsman will not only inherit the structures and systems of the electoral body but also the credibility challenges that have lingered since last year’s polls.
“INEC suffered a great deal of reputational deficit and damage from the last general elections because of the way the collation and declaration were done,” he stated. “So, the newly appointed INEC chair, Amupitan, would inherit the burden of reputational deficit and damage from the 2023 elections.”
The former commissioner emphasised that restoring the Commission’s credibility would require deliberate reforms, transparency in election management, and renewed public engagement.
He urged Professor Amupitan to prioritise institutional independence and operational efficiency, describing the new appointment as a critical moment for Nigeria’s democracy.
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