As Prof Mahmood Yakubu steps down as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the end of next month, Nigeria’s democracy faces a defining moment. Prof. Ojo Amupitan will inherit both the tools of reform and the burden of mistrust—a complex mix of technology, politics, and expectation. The challenge is not just to manage elections, but to rebuild faith in the very act of voting, writes Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI.
The mood in Abuja is electrifying. As Prof Mahmood Yakubu bows out as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the air in political circles is thick with speculation and scepticism.
Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), his successor, will not only inherit Yakubu’s innovations but also his burden. He will take charge of an institution both praised and criticised harshly: one that has reshaped how Nigerians vote, and how they doubt.
Amupitan should guarantee that by 2027, the ballot will not only count but be believed.
“We don’t just need a referee,” says youth activist Aisha Abdullahi in Kano. “We need a credible one. It’s not the voting that hurts; it’s watching results vanish between the polling unit and Abuja.”
From reform to relapse
The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) once raised hopes of transparency. Yet when the system stuttered in 2023, with slow uploads, missing results, and unexplained “technical glitches”, those hopes quickly vanished.
“Technology doesn’t build trust; people do,” notes Ezenwa Nwagwu, convener of the Say No Campaign. “The next INEC chairman must understand that credibility isn’t just about machines—it’s about management and communication.”
Integrity and independence
Nigeria’s electoral history has always revolved around one question: trust. Political analyst and former INEC director Prof. Okey Ibeanu puts it bluntly: “You can have BVAS, IReV, and 10 acronyms after that, but if the leadership of INEC is not seen as neutral, everything else falls apart.”
The single most vital quality Nigerians now demand of the incoming chairman is unquestionable integrity—whether it is Amupitan, with his legal gravitas, Liman, with his judicial discipline, or Olurode, with his insider experience.
“The individual must be de-tribalized, honest, and independent,” says Austin Aigbe of the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network. “He must understand the system and withstand pressure from any quarter.”
Paul James, Election Manager at Yiaga Africa, adds: “The next INEC chairman should embody integrity, independence, and a commitment to credible, inclusive, and transparent elections.”
Yakubu, to his credit, survived intense political pressure and completed two election cycles—the first chairman to do so since 1999. Yet his tenure was marked by accusations of inconsistency, especially after the 2023 polls. “He tried to be fair,” says an INEC insider, “but fairness isn’t only about doing right—it’s about being seen to do right.”
Public perception of neutrality has become INEC’s biggest test. The next chairman must fiercely safeguard it.
Beyond technology
Under Yakubu’s leadership, INEC adopted BVAS and IReV, which were an upgrade of the Smart Card Reader introduced in 2015. However, their failures in 2023 exposed persistent weaknesses: poor connectivity, untrained ad-hoc staff, and opaque communication.
“INEC cannot keep treating election day like a surprise party,” says Samson Itodo, Yiaga Africa’s Executive Director. “You can’t test new technology on the day of the match. The next chairman must plan, test, train, and communicate.”
Kenya’s 2017 presidential election, annulled due to irregularities in digital result transmission, compelled the election management body to introduce more reforms. “Nigeria can learn from that,” Itodo adds. “Technology must be transparent, not mysterious.”
For this to happen, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must nominate a man or woman of integrity. “He once criticised Jonathan for delaying reforms,” Aigbe recalls. “Now the ball is in his court.”
The logistics labyrinth
Few institutions in Nigeria face logistical challenges as complex as INEC’s, which must deploy materials, staff, and security across 176,000 polling units in a single day. Under Yakubu, there were visible improvements: early procurement, new polling units, and better coordination. Yet 2023 revealed familiar lapses: late commencement of elections and missing materials in several states.
“People blame technology,” says former INEC commissioner Dr Amina Zakari, “but sometimes the issue is a bad road, a missing truck, or a local security scare. Logistics involves more than just transportation; it also requires strategic intelligence and planning.”
For 2027, Nigerians expect a chairman with not only integrity and innovation, but operational discipline; someone who treats logistics as a science and fights for timely funding. As Yakubu admitted, “INEC remains one of the most underfunded election commissions in Africa relative to its mandate.” Without early funding, reforms remain PowerPoint promises.
Lessons from Ghana, Kenya, South Africa
Across Africa, election commissions face similar pressures but handle them differently. Ghana’s Electoral Commission, led by Jean Mensa, managed a smooth 2020 poll through transparent engagement and communication. “When the public is informed, suspicion reduces,” says journalist Kwame Ofori.
Kenya’s IEBC, after its 2017 crisis, now publishes polling-station results in real time. South Africa’s IEC derives credibility from institutional independence, backed by secure funding and legal protection.
“Nigeria’s next INEC boss needs that kind of buffer,” argues lawyer Chidi Odinkalu. “You can’t build impartiality on political debt.”
INEC’s autonomy remains fragile; legally granted but politically mediated. The next chairman must not only run elections but champion reforms that would insulate INEC constitutionally and financially from executive interference.
Communication: The missing link
When IReV faltered in 2023, Nigerians waited days for explanations. Silence filled the gap, and rumours took over.
“That’s where Yakubu lost many people,” says a senior journalist. “Even if you’re right, if you go quiet, you lose the narrative.”
The next INEC chairman must act as communicator-in-chief, not just a bureaucrat, offering quick, clear updates in plain language. Transparency is not optional; it’s survival. South Africa’s IEC holds open briefings and streams real-time dashboards. Nigerians deserve no less.
Courage under pressure
Integrity in Nigeria’s political environment is not abstract—it’s a battlefield. Political parties treat elections as warfare. Pressure on INEC comes from every direction.
“The next INEC chairman must have the courage to say no,” insists Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed of the Northern Elders Forum. “Yakubu sometimes did, but not enough. Independence is not given; it’s taken.”
Yakubu’s record on firmness illustrates the delicate balance he expertly maintained. His decision to deregister 74 political parties in 2020 showed courage.
However, his hesitance in sanctioning voter intimidation and erring staff disappointed critics because it showed a lack of strong action against threats and misconduct.
“We need a chairman who enforces rules equally—north or south, ruling or opposition,” Baba-Ahmed says.
Security: Democracy’s fragile edge
Elections in parts of Nigeria remain fraught with violence and intimidation. “The next INEC chairman must treat security as integral to election management,” says Clement Nwankwo of the Situation Room coalition.
He calls for pre-election mapping of hot spots, joint planning with security agencies, and community peace-building. In 2023 alone, INEC reported over 40 incidents of violence and arson. Several INEC offices in the Southeast were destroyed ahead of the polls.
“We need courage and strategy,” Nwankwo says. “Otherwise, fear will continue to disenfranchise citizens.”
Inclusion and the human factor
Under Yakubu, INEC improved access for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and the elderly—but implementation fell short of expectations. In conflict zones like Borno and Zamfara, many displaced voters remained disenfranchised.
“The new chairman must bring empathy to the job,” says Grace Jerry of the Inclusive Friends Association. “If people with disabilities can’t access polling units, democracy is incomplete.”
Aigbe adds, “Since 1999, we’ve only had male INEC chairmen. It’s time to give the job to a woman.”
The politics of dependence
INEC’s reliance on federal budget allocations often leads to late procurements and strained logistics. Ghana’s EC enjoys multi-year budgeting; South Africa’s IEC has statutory financial independence. Nigeria’s INEC, meanwhile, must lobby the same politicians it regulates.
“That’s a structural contradiction,” says Odinkalu. “The referee shouldn’t beg the players for his whistle.”
INEC’s finances must be free from political control. Without that, even the most honest commissioner will be constrained.
Legal clarity and decisiveness
The Electoral Act 2022 improved Nigeria’s framework but left ambiguities, especially on the legal weight of electronic results transmission. Court rulings after 2023 deepened confusion. “The next INEC boss must be a legal tactician,” says Femi Falana, SAN. “They must understand the law, anticipate loopholes, and apply it uniformly.”
Yakubu’s INEC often hesitated in legally contentious moments, from party primaries to disqualifications. Nigerians now expect sharper decisiveness.
Turning voters into stakeholders
Voter turnout in 2023 was just 29 per cent, the lowest since 1999. Disillusionment, fear, and logistical failures all contributed. “People must feel their votes matter,” says Itodo. “Otherwise, democracy becomes theatre.”
The next INEC chairman can learn from Ghana and South Africa, where voter education continues between elections. Partnerships with civil society, schools, and influencers could help rebuild faith in the process.
“Trust is a process,” says Aisha Abdullahi in Kano. “It grows when people see results match reality.”
The burden of trust
Today, Nigerians discuss not just who wins, but how elections are won. The emotional wounds from 2023 run deep because technology and trust failed simultaneously.
In Lagos markets, voters like Chinedu Okorie recall the anxiety of that February night when results stopped loading. “I voted. I waited. Then silence.”
For him, and millions like him, 2027 must be different. “If Nigerians can see their polling unit results online, and they match what they saw at the booth, whoever wins, Nigerians will be happy,” says Aigbe.
A legacy to build upon
Yakubu’s record is not one of failure, but of unfinished business. He expanded access with over 50,000 new polling units, stabilised the election calendar, and introduced transformative technologies. Yet he leaves behind a trust deficit that innovation alone cannot fix.
His tenure proved that Nigeria’s problem isn’t just technology—it’s mistrust. And trust cannot be programmed; it must be earned.
The next chairman will enter an office where every decision will be contested, every delay magnified, every error politicised. Yet the opportunity is enormous. A credible 2027 election could reset Nigeria’s democratic trajectory for a generation.
“He must guide INEC with technical excellence, robust governance, and proactive stakeholder engagement,” says Yiaga Africa’s Paul James. “And remain resilient in crises, committed to long-term reform consistent with Nigeria’s laws and constitution.”
If he—or she—succeeds, Nigeria’s democracy will not just survive; it will mature. If not, disillusionment may deepen beyond repair.
Epilogue: Will my vote count?
In the end, the measure of the new INEC chairman will not lie in the number of devices deployed or reforms announced. It will lie in a simpler question—one every Nigerian carries silently to the booth:
Will my vote count this time?
Amupitan should be able to turn scepticism into belief, and elections into trust.
