The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria has passed a vote of confidence in Prof. Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, amid concerns over recent calls for his resignation and criticisms directed at the electoral body.
The position was made known by the Executive Director of NCSCN, Blessing Akinlosotu, during a media briefing in Abuja, where he stated that the council’s decision was aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic institutions from what he described as unwarranted attacks.
NCSCN, an umbrella body representing nearly 1,000 non-governmental organisations and humanitarian foundations across the country, said the endorsement of Amupitan was necessary in the face of what it termed unpatriotic and ill-motivated demands for his removal.
“In light of the unpatriotic and ill-motivated calls for the resignation of the INEC Chairman, the NCSCN hereby issues a resolute and unanimous vote of confidence in Amupitan.
“Our confidence is predicated on his unwavering legal integrity. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a distinguished Professor of Law, Amupitan has brought a rule-of-law-first approach to the commission.
“His refusal to bow to political pressure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) matter is proof of his commitment to judicial sanctity.
“Under his leadership, we have seen a shift from the era of ballot snatching and result manipulation towards a system where votes truly count, thanks to the safeguards built into the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).”
