INEC Chairman Amupitan Attributes Role Acceptance to Divine Conviction

Prof. Joash Amupitan, chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said he accepted the role only after a clear divine conviction that God would strengthen and help him in office. Amupitan spoke at an end-of-tenure and appreciation service in Abuja, organized by the Nigerian Baptist Convention for outgoing president Israel Akanji and his wife Victoria.

He said he would have declined the appointment if he lacked that spiritual assurance. 'If I did not have the conviction for this job, I would not accept it,' Amupitan said. He drew strength from a clear message from God: 'Fear not; do not be dismayed.

I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you,' which he heard before accepting the job. Amupitan said this conviction has remained the anchor of his stewardship at INEC despite challenges associated with managing elections in a complex democratic environment. Divine guidance has sustained him since assuming office, he added.

'No matter the storm, no matter the difficulty, God is able to calm every storm. That is what God has been doing,' Amupitan said. He called on Nigerians to pray for the electoral body, for the success of the 2027 general election, and for him personally.

'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,' Amupitan stated. He reflected on his experience, saying, 'My experience so far as the INEC chairman is that if God does not send you somewhere, do not go there.

' Amupitan was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025 to succeed Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended on October 7, 2025. His appointment made him the sixth substantive chairman of INEC since its establishment. Amupitan assumed office at the INEC headquarters shortly after his swearing in at the State House.

AllAfrica reported that Amupitan has faced allegations arising from resurfaced social media posts said to have shown sympathy for President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress during the 2023 elections. The allegations have triggered calls from opposition figures and some civil society voices for Amupitan's resignation.

The controversy deepened after digital traces linked an X account formerly bearing the handle associated with Amupitan to old partisan posts.