The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, will formally assume office today, Wednesday, October 23, 2025, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

An internal memo signed by Wilfred Ifogah, Deputy Director of Publicity, for the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, announced that Amupitan will hold his first official meeting with INEC directors at 1:30 p.m. in the Commission’s conference hall.

Amupitan’s resumption follows his swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu, coming after the completion of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s two-term tenure (2015–2025). Yakubu oversaw two general elections and several off-cycle polls that shaped Nigeria’s democratic landscape.

Ahead of his assumption, key members of civil society have urged the new INEC boss to build on the reforms and gains achieved under his predecessor.

At a colloquium organised by the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) in Abuja, stakeholders described sustaining the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system as a shared responsibility among political parties, the judiciary, security agencies, and citizens.

The event, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Reflections on a Decade of INEC Leadership,” brought together political actors, academics, and civil society leaders who lauded Yakubu’s legacy of institutional and technological reform.

Deputy National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Hon. Dipo Olayoku, commended Yakubu’s introduction of technology-driven innovations, which he said enhanced transparency and credibility in election management.

“Conducting elections in Nigeria remains one of the most complex national tasks,” Olayoku noted. “Through the use of technology, Professor Yakubu made our elections more credible and acceptable. His innovations have brought a new level of transparency to the process.”

He, however, lamented that the lack of accountability for electoral offences continues to undermine progress, stressing that unpunished wrongdoing limits reform impact.

Similarly, the Executive Director of the Pioneering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Nigeria (PAACA), Chief Ezenwa Nwagwu, hailed Yakubu’s tenure as a period of “remarkable innovation,” citing the electronic transmission of results via the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as a milestone in electoral transparency.

As Amupitan takes over the reins, expectations remain high for him to consolidate these reforms, deepen transparency, and steer the Commission toward a more credible and resilient electoral system ahead of future polls.

Tension gripped Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Tuesday, as suspected political thugs set ablaze the Secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), destroying property worth millions of naira.

The early-morning attack, which occurred at the Basiri area of Ado-Ekiti, came just hours before the scheduled inauguration of the party’s executives across wards, local governments and the state.

Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums, who arrived in multiple vehicles, shot sporadically into the air to scare residents before setting the building on fire. Office equipment, sound systems, plastic chairs and canopies were all destroyed in the inferno.

A few hours later, the same group reportedly regrouped and stormed the venue of the planned inauguration, dispersing party members, journalists and guests. Vehicles and motorcycles parked at the scene were vandalised, while chairs and canopies already arranged for the event were destroyed beyond repair.

Despite the attack, ADC National Secretary and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, arrived amid tight security and went ahead with a brief inauguration of the newly affirmed executives.

Addressing journalists afterwards, Aregbesola condemned the incident, describing it as “a shameful act of political intolerance and a dangerous threat to democracy.”

“The beauty of democracy lies in freedom of association and participation without fear. What happened today is a descent into fascism,” he said.

Also reacting, former Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, described the attack as “an act of political terrorism.”
He criticised the police for their slow response, saying security agencies failed to protect the party’s property despite early reports.

“We were let down. Two hours after we reported the midnight attack, there was still no protection. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Confirming the incident, Ekiti Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo, had ordered a full-scale investigation to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned the federal government against using the alleged coup plot as a pretext to target opposition figures or silence dissenting voices.

In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said while the ADC strongly condemns any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic order, the government must not exploit the situation to instil fear or gain political advantage under the guise of protecting national security.

“The ADC has been following reports of an alleged coup plot involving some arrested military officers and claims that a former southern governor is under investigation for allegedly funding them,” the statement said.

Abdullahi warned that, although the ADC opposes actions capable of threatening Nigeria’s constitutional order, it remains concerned about the potential use of such allegations to justify political witch-hunts, suppress dissent, or manipulate public opinion.

He expressed concern over conflicting statements from government officials, noting that the defence headquarters’ denial of knowledge of any coup plot had raised doubts about the credibility of the reports.

According to him, the government’s silence on the issue has allowed the rumour to spread unchecked, fuelling suspicions that the entire narrative may be politically motivated.

“What appears clear is that the government is using the coup narrative to divert attention from widespread misgovernance and to curry public sympathy,” he said.

Abdullahi added that reports linking unnamed politicians to the alleged plot could be exploited to justify clampdowns or surveillance on opposition figures.

He cautioned that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) must not allow its “desperation” to hold on to power to endanger democracy or citizens’ rights.

“The government has a duty to clarify the true nature of the alleged coup and address the nation transparently if any threat truly exists,” he said. “It must desist from weaponising national security to silence political opposition.”

The ADC reaffirmed its commitment to defending Nigeria’s democracy, saying it would support any legitimate measures aimed at protecting the constitution while rejecting all forms of dictatorship, whether military or civilian.