Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Sam Amadi, has disclosed that he directly told the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, that he had not inspired confidence in his leadership of the electoral body.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Monday, April 27, 2026, Amadi recounted a face-to-face encounter with the INEC chairman at a town hall meeting, where he openly questioned the commission’s credibility.
“I met him one-on-one at a town hall, and I said to his face that, ‘Sir, you haven’t given me confidence,’” Amadi said.
The remark highlights mounting concerns among political stakeholders over the perceived credibility of INEC as preparations intensify for upcoming elections. Amadi suggested that the commission’s leadership had not done enough to build trust at a critical moment in Nigeria’s electoral cycle.
According to him, early signals from the electoral umpire are crucial in shaping public perception, and any perceived lack of neutrality or transparency can have lasting implications for the legitimacy of the process.
His comments come amid broader criticisms from opposition figures who argue that INEC must take deliberate steps to reinforce its independence and reassure Nigerians of its impartiality.
Amadi’s intervention underscores a central issue in Nigeria’s democratic process — that beyond legal frameworks and institutional structures, public confidence in the electoral body remains a decisive factor in determining the credibility of elections……See More
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