The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), on Thursday called for enhanced collaboration with the United Nations (UN) to improve the credibility, transparency, and inclusiveness of elections in Nigeria.
Amupitan made the call while receiving the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, in Abuja.
“We want to improve on every election because we live in a continent where the people expect so much. We cannot afford to fail our people. Our hope is that every election we conduct will be better than the last one,” Amupitan said.
Linking electoral challenges to broader development issues, the INEC chairman noted that underdevelopment in Africa has affected the conduct of elections.
He urged the UNDP to intensify support in voter education to address apathy and rebuild public trust.
Amupitan also highlighted ongoing technological reforms, including upgrades to INEC’s Results Viewing Portal (IReV), which allows voters and political parties to verify election results.
He said the commission is cleaning up the voters’ register, removing deceased individuals, eliminating duplicates, and strengthening deployment tracking at polling units.
On inclusivity, Amupitan said INEC has improved gender and disability policies, including braille materials for the visually impaired and support for persons with albinism.
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He listed upcoming elections, including the Ekiti and Osun off-cycle governorship polls and the 2027 general elections, stressing INEC’s mandate to conduct elections at federal, state, and FCT area council levels.
In response, Fall congratulated Amupitan on his appointment and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic process. “Your success will be our success.
The world is watching Nigeria’s democratic journey,” he said, highlighting the UN’s principle of leaving no one behind in political participation.
Attafuah noted that the UNDP supports approximately 60 elections globally each year and has partnered with INEC since 1999.
She identified areas for potential support, including leveraging existing UN programmes, supporting constitutional and electoral reforms, and strengthening parliamentary development initiatives.
“Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa. If Nigeria succeeds, Africa would advance,” she said, adding that strengthened collaboration between INEC and the UN would consolidate Nigeria’s democratic gains and ensure future elections meet international standards.