INEC Chairman Discloses Next Move After Leaving Office

• INEC chairman Joash Amupitan made a public pledge about his plans after leaving office during a panel in London
• Amupitan spoke at a Chatham House event focused on Nigeria's 2027 elections and democratic stability in the region
• His comments came as a direct response to questions about his predecessor Mahmood Yakubu's post-tenure ambassadorial appointment

Joash Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said he will not accept any political or diplomatic appointments after his time at the commission ends.

Amupitan made the declaration on Thursday at a Chatham House panel in London titled "Nigeria's 2027 elections: Democratic trajectory and regional stability beyond the ballot."

The pledge came after a panellist asked him directly whether he would commit to turning down any post-tenure appointments from the government, unlike his predecessor Mahmood Yakubu, who accepted a role under President Bola Tinubu after leaving INEC.

Yakubu's appointment as a reference point

Last November, Yakubu was among 32 ambassadorial nominees whose names Tinubu forwarded to the Senate for confirmation. He was later designated as Nigeria's non-career ambassador to Qatar. Critics had pointed to that appointment as a potential conflict of interest, given that Yakubu oversaw the 2023 presidential election that brought Tinubu to power.

The question directed at Amupitan at the Chatham House event was therefore pointed: would he follow the same path?

According to The Cable, his answer was an unequivocal no.

INEC's ateps ahead of 2027 polls

Amupitan also addressed broader concerns about public trust in INEC during the panel. He acknowledged that technical glitches in the transmission of election results during the 2023 polls had damaged confidence in the commission.

He said INEC had since taken steps to address those failures and was working to ensure the 2027 elections are conducted smoothly and efficiently. He did not detail the specific measures being put in place, but his comments signalled an awareness within the commission that rebuilding credibility with Nigerian voters remains a priority heading into the next general election cycle.

INEC declares Adeleke winner of Osun governorship election

Legit.ng earlier reported that Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun state, has been declared the winner of the 2026 Osun state governorship election.

Adeleke, who won the election on the platform of the Accord Party, was followed by his rival in the APC, Bola Oyebamiji.

The full results, as announced by INEC, showed that the candidate of the ADC in the election, Najeem Salam, came a distant third.