*Be Fair To All Political Parties, Abubakar Charges Commission 

THE Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has charged staff of the Commission to work selflessly and uphold the highest standards of integrity, saying the electoral body cannot afford to fail Nigerians in the next year’s general elections.

    Amupitan warned staff against any form of compromise, saying the attention of Nigerians and the international community, including African Union and foreign election observation missions, was already focused on Nigeria’s forthcoming electoral process.

     The INEC boss, who stated this on Friday, July 24, in Minna, Niger State, during an official working visit and interactive session with the Commission’s management and staff at the state headquarters, stressed: “Note that you are our ambassadors and you cannot afford to fail.

    “The general election is coming up on January 16 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, and February 6 for the Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

    “The whole world, not just Nigerians, is looking up to INEC. I just returned from an African Union (AU) meeting in Egypt involving all the EMBs (Electoral Management Bodies) in Africa, and everyone expressed their desire to come and monitor Nigeria’s elections.

    “So, the whole world is watching us. We must conduct the election in a highly professional manner.”

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the INEC boss assured the staff that the Commission was working assiduously to improve logistics, infrastructure and transport fleets across all state offices ahead of the polls, noting: “We do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past.

    “My goal is to ensure that we improve on our performance continuously.”

    Reminiscing on the past nine months of being office, Amupitan reaffirmed his commitment to rebuilding public trust in the Commission through transparent, free, fair and credible elections.

    He stressed that the resolve to build a revitalised INEC capable of earning the confidence of Nigerians could only be achieved through the dedication and integrity of field personnel at the grassroots, assuring that while hard work would be recognised and rewarded, administrative misconduct would attract strict sanctions.

    He urged them: “We must learn from the lessons of past elections. There should be no compromise whatsoever. We have decided to introduce rewards for hard work, but if there is any misconduct, there will be serious consequences.

    “Work hard, work selflessly, shun corruption, and let us give the Nigerian people what they truly desire.”

    He assured them that the Commission had commenced a comprehensive review of staff packages across the country to boost morale and foster optimal performance, having identified staff welfare as one of the most critical areas requiring urgent intervention.

    Amupitan stated: “We play a pivotal role in ensuring that Nigeria moves into the committee of developed nations.

    “This can only happen if our political system is stable, and that stability depends largely on our independence and performance as an electoral body.

    “When I assumed office, I discovered that the welfare package for INEC staff was among the lowest in the country. To boost your morale, the Commission decided to take this issue head-on.   

    “When the results begin to manifest, you will appreciate our commitment.”

    While in the state, Amupitan monitored the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise at a centre located within the Commission’s state headquarters.

    Meanwhile, a former head of state and Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has urged the Commission to remain impartial and ensure justice to all political parties, regardless of political pressure.

    Abubakar, who gave the advice on Friday when Amupitan, alongside his national commissioners, paid him a courtesy visit at his Minna residence in Minna, pledged his support for INEC ahead of the upcoming Osun governorship poll and next year’s general elections, urging it to ensure that all elections were free, fair, credible and conducted on a level playing field.

    The former military leader acknowledged the demanding nature of leading the electoral body, describing the office of its chairman as one of the most critical and challenging roles in Nigeria’s democratic framework. 

    Abubakar told Amupitan: “Your appointment is very critical to our democratic setting. With the politicians, you need to do a lot to gain their confidence, because whatever you and your commissioners do, you will stand accused of bias one way or another.

    “If anybody in the political system loses an election, you become the whipping child. They will find excuses to claim that INEC has done something wrong. 

    “However, with the confidence we have in you, I am absolutely sure and I pray that you will do the best you can for this country.”

    He advised Amupitan and his team to remain steadfast, ignore unwarranted distractions and strictly abide by their oath of offices, noting: “The INEC chairman cannot do this job alone, but the buck stops with you. I am absolutely sure that you will abide by the oath you took. 

    “You must do justice to all and sundry. All political parties are yours; you do not have any political party to call your own.

    “So, I wish you well and advise that you close your ears and shut your eyes, because no matter what you do, political parties will have to claim you have done something wrong. That is the nature of Nigerians.

    “I hope and pray you take it in good faith, because our democracy depends on all of you.”

    Abubakar disclosed that the National Peace Committee would hold a strategic meeting in Abuja on July 29, ahead of the official signing of the Peace Accord on July 30 for the Osun governorship election. 

    He described the Osun election as a crucial test-run for next year’s general elections, reaffirming the committee’s commitment to supporting peaceful, transparent and credible elections across Nigeria.

    Earlier, Amupitan reassured Nigerians that their votes would count in both the Osun election and the coming general elections.

    He stated that the visit was to honour the elder statesman on his contributions to national stability, democracy and peace-building, even as he sought Abubakar’s supports and prayer toward successful conduct of Osun and the general elections.

    Amupitan lauded Abubakar’s leadership of NPC and its Peace Accord initiative had provided a vital platform for political actors to commit to non-violence. 

    “This prevails against disharmony and discord, for which INEC is forever grateful to you.

    “Since the transition period in 1999, you have been involved in peace-building, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa. History will be kind to you,” he stated.

    Amupitan assured Abubakar that in spite of the operational challenges, including frequent pre-election litigation, INEC remained committed to delivering inclusive elections and incorporating modern technology into its processes.

    He decried the lack of a strong democratic culture among political actors, citing instances where sudden court orders force the Commission to reprint ballot papers at short notice, noting: “Despite these issues and the trust deficiency we currently face, we continue to do our best for a successful election.”