President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission has sparked sharp divisions within the opposition, reopening debates about the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process and the long-delayed push for electoral reforms.

The appointment, endorsed by the National Council of State on Thursday, marks the beginning of a new chapter for INEC, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose decade-long tenure was dogged by controversies and waning public trust.

Tinubu described Amupitan, a Kogi-born law professor, as an “apolitical figure of impeccable integrity,” telling the council that his choice was based on “record of service and character.”

But as the President prepares to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation, opposition leaders are split over whether the move represents continuity or change in Nigeria’s troubled electoral landscape.

They spoke in separate phone interviews with PUNCH Online on Saturday.

While some admit that Tinubu acted within the ambit of the law, others fear that the appointment could reinforce perceptions of political interference ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Interim National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Tony Akeni, said there was little legal ground to fault the President’s action.

“As long as the constitution has not been amended, the right to appoint remains with him. After all, the National Assembly has not made any amendments to the extant laws.

“So, the onus is on civil society organisations and the reformers, those who want electoral reforms, to push hard enough. Until the National Assembly amends those laws, the President will take advantage of the laws that are existing.

“It is obvious the next election may not be free and fair. It is a case of he who pays the piper calling the tunes”, Akeni said.

Akeni also urged opposition leaders to move beyond social media rhetoric and take concrete action.

“What the opposition can do is to take physical action instead of posting tweets that will amount to nothing. What people like Atiku, Obi and other opposition leaders should do is to come together and hit the streets.

“Tweets are not going to get us out of where we are. It is mass action that can do that,” he argued.

Similarly, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said Amupitan’s emergence once again highlights the urgency of implementing the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Report, which recommends an open, merit-based selection process for INEC leadership.

“I must tell you sincerely that I stand by the recommendation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais report. That is the only thing that can give credit to our electioneering.

“The report clearly stipulated that the vacant position should be advertised for equity and justice. If we don’t do that, these elections will be marred with a lot of irregularities and there will be danger ahead of us” Tanko stated.

However, not all opposition voices are critical. The National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson, defended the legality of Tinubu’s decision, even while acknowledging the broader calls for reform.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing anybody can do since the Constitution has not been amended. Until that is done, we can’t stop Tinubu from appointing anybody he wants. This is one of the changes we are seeking to get amended in the Constitution and Electoral Act,” he said.

Johnson, however, cautioned that the credibility of the new INEC boss would depend on his actions in office.

He said, “It is too early to tell his mind. We have to see his body language and what he stands for. But unfortunately for him, people know the President a lot and believe he will ordinarily not appoint someone who will not work for him. We can only hope for the best.”

Amupitan, the first person from Kogi State to be nominated as INEC Chairman, now faces the daunting task of rebuilding voter confidence and restoring faith in an institution many Nigerians view with scepticism.

PUNCH Online reports that the National Council of State gave its unanimous approval to the appointment of Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of INEC on Thursday.

The announcement was made on Thursday in a post on X by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

During the Council’s meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Tinubu formally presented Amupitan’s nomination for confirmation.

His appointment comes after the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s 10-year tenure in October 2025. (Sunday PUNCH)