Prof. Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said he accepted the role only after “a clear divine conviction that God would strengthen and help him in office”.
He spoke in Abuja at an end of tenure and appreciation service organised by the Nigerian Baptist Convention for its outgoing president, Israel Akanji, and his wife, Victoria. He said he would have turned down the job if he did not feel spiritually sure about it.
“If I did not have the conviction for this job, I would not accept it,” he said.
Explaining how he accepted the appointment, he pointed to what he described as divine guidance.
“A clear message from God. The Lord said, ‘Fear not; do not be dismayed. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you.’ I heard this clearly before I accepted this job,”
He said this conviction has continued to guide him at INEC despite the pressure of managing elections in a difficult democratic space.
“No matter the storm, no matter the difficulty, God is able to calm every storm. That is what God has been doing,”
Amupitan also asked Nigerians to pray for the commission and for the success of the 2027 general election.
“Continue to pray for Nigeria, continue to pray for us, and continue to pray for me that the 2027 election will be the best ever,” he said.
“I cannot do it on my own, but with the Lord on my side, it is possible, and it is doable.”
He also warned about taking on public responsibility without what he called clear direction.
“My experience so far as the INEC chairman is that if God does not send you somewhere, do not go there. If God does not send you, do not do it,”
Amupitan was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025 to succeed Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended on October 7, making him the sixth substantive INEC chairman.
However, his tenure has faced growing scrutiny. There have been allegations tied to old social media posts suggesting support for President Bola Tinubu and the APC during the 2023 elections, raising concerns about neutrality.
He has denied owning any such account, while INEC has described the claims as an attempt to discredit its leadership. Opposition voices, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have also called for his resignation over separate disputes involving the commission.
The controversy has increased public debate on INEC’s credibility ahead of 2027.
