INEC Chairman Reaffirms Readiness for Anambra Governorship Election, Warns Against Vote-Buying

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, has reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to conduct a transparent, credible, and peaceful governorship election in Anambra State on Saturday, November 8, 2025, while warning political parties, candidates, and voters against vote-buying and other forms of electoral malpractice.

Speaking at the Anambra State Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Awka, Professor Amupitan said the meeting was part of INEC’s long-standing commitment to inclusivity and transparency ahead of every major off-cycle election. He explained that it was customary for such engagements to be jointly addressed by the INEC Chairman and the Inspector-General of Police to update the public on election preparedness and security arrangements.

The INEC Chairman said preparations for the Anambra election commenced in 2024 with the publication of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities, in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. Out of the 13 statutory activities outlined by the Commission, 11 have been successfully implemented, leaving only the close of campaigns scheduled for midnight on Thursday, November 6, and the election proper on Saturday, November 8.

He disclosed that the Commission had published the final list of candidates and running mates for the poll. Sixteen political parties will participate, while five parties made lawful substitutions of candidates and deputies in line with Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022.

Professor Amupitan revealed that INEC had approved a final register of 2,802,790 voters for the election following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and subsequent clean-up of the database. He noted that a total of 168,187 new registrations were recorded across the 326 wards of the state, but 27,817 invalid multiple entries were removed after Automated Biometric Identification System screening, leaving 140,370 valid new voters. In addition, 5,983 voters transferred their registration within the state.

He explained that INEC extended the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection deadline from October 29 to November 2 to enable all eligible voters to obtain their cards. According to him, all uncollected cards from the 21 local government areas would be secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria until after the election to prevent misuse.

The Chairman also disclosed that the Commission, in partnership with TAFAfrica, approved the deployment of sign language interpreters across polling units to assist 3,456 registered voters with disabilities in the state. He described this as a landmark initiative in Nigeria’s electoral history aimed at strengthening inclusion and participation of Persons with Disabilities in the democratic process.

He confirmed that INEC had accredited 114 domestic observer groups and 76 media organizations, deploying over 500 journalists to provide comprehensive coverage of the poll. Thousands of agents representing candidates and political parties have also been accredited to monitor activities across the 5,718 polling units, 326 ward collation centers, 21 local government collation centers, and the state collation center in Awka.

Professor Amupitan assured stakeholders that the Commission was fully prepared for the election, emphasizing that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be used for voter authentication and electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). He disclosed that a successful mock accreditation had been conducted in 12 polling units across six local government areas to test the system’s performance and improve network stability. He added that all BVAS devices designated for election day had been tested, configured, and were ready for deployment.

On logistics, the INEC Chairman said that 2,233 buses and 83 boats had been hired from the National Association of Transport Owners (NATO), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Maritime Union Workers of Nigeria (MUWN) for the movement of officials and sensitive materials. He noted that the Commission held meetings with the transport unions, Resident Electoral Commissioner, and Electoral Officers across the 21 local government areas to review and finalize logistics plans to ensure early commencement of polls by 8:30a.m. on election day.

He added that political parties would, as usual, inspect sensitive election materials at the Central Bank of Nigeria office in Awka before their distribution to the local government areas. He commended all sixteen political parties for signing the Peace Accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee, describing it as a commitment to peaceful participation and respect for the rules of engagement.

Professor Amupitan urged all political actors to demonstrate maturity, restraint, and discipline during and after the polls. He called on candidates and supporters to refrain from violence, hate speech, and vote-buying, stressing that such practices undermine democracy and erode public confidence in the process. He reaffirmed that INEC had issued strict directives to all electoral officials, warning that any deviation from the provisions of the Electoral Act or the Commission’s guidelines would attract severe sanctions, while diligence and integrity would be duly recognized and rewarded.

The INEC Chairman expressed gratitude to security agencies for their cooperation, assuring the public that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure the safety of election officials, observers, and voters. He stated that the Commission was leaving no stone unturned in its determination to deliver a free, fair, and credible election that reflects the sovereign will of the people of Anambra State.

Concluding his address, Professor Amupitan appealed to voters to come out peacefully and exercise their franchise with confidence and pride. “Let us all say no to violence, no to intimidation, and no to vote-buying. Together, we can strengthen democracy and prove that credible elections are possible in Nigeria,” he declared.

INEC CHAIRMAN TO STAFF: NO ROOM FOR LOGISTICS FAILURE AS EYES OF THE WORLD TURN TO ANAMBRA

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has charged staff of the Commission in Anambra State to ensure flawless logistics and prompt commencement of voting in the November 8 governorship election, warning that “the eyes of the world are on us.” 

Prof. Amupitan gave the charge during a meeting with staff at the Commission’s State Office in Awka on Monday 3rd November 2025, as part of his working visit ahead of the election. The visit, which followed a series of readiness assessments across the state, also coincided with the signing of the Peace Accord by political parties earlier in the day. 

The INEC Chairman, who described the gathering as a “family meeting,” said the integrity of the forthcoming election rests squarely on the shoulders of Commission staff at all levels. 

“There must not be logistics failure,” he declared. “The eyes of the world are on INEC, on the Resident Electoral Commissioner, and on you the Electoral Officers. Voting must begin at exactly 8:30 a.m. in all the 5,718 polling units across the 21 local government areas. That is non-negotiable.” 

Prof. Amupitan emphasised that all election materials must leave Registration Area Centres (RACs) not later than 6:00 a.m. on election morning, adding that every vehicle, driver, and security operative must be stationed at their deployment points the night before. 

“If you don’t have to sleep on Friday, don’t sleep,” he said. “The first sign of a credible election is that it starts on time. When people wake up to hear that voting hasn’t started at 9:00 a.m., that’s already a failure, and we will not allow that to happen in Anambra.” 

He explained that the Commission had finalised arrangements with the Inspector-General of Police for robust security deployment, noting that over 45,000 police personnel, along with operatives from other security agencies, would be on duty during the election. He further commended the successful completion of training for Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, and Assistant Presiding Officers, but urged staff to immediately escalate any emerging challenges through the Commission’s communication channels. 

The INEC Chairman reminded staff of their constitutional responsibilities, stressing that every INEC official, from the headquarters to the polling unit, represents one institution created by law. 

“You are the INEC that people see,” he told the Electoral Officers. “The Resident Electoral Commissioner cannot be everywhere. It is you who will be in the field, supervising the process. Your diligence, discipline, and integrity will define the credibility of this election.” 

Turning to results management, Prof. Amupitan underscored the sanctity of Form EC8A, describing it as “the pyramid of votes in Nigeria.” He urged presiding officers to ensure that results are properly recorded, stamped, and signed, and that collation officers verify that the figures tally with the BVAS accreditation data before moving to the next stage. 

“Ignorance of the law is not an excuse,” he warned. “If figures don’t align, corrections must be made transparently as the Electoral Act provides. We cannot afford errors or negligence that could undermine confidence in the process.” 

He also reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to inclusivity, noting that INEC had extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the state and made special provisions for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to encourage wider participation. 

Expressing concern over declining voter turnout in the state, the Chairman called on staff to help mobilise citizens to vote. 

“In 2013, turnout was around 25 percent. In 2017, it dropped to about 20,  and in the last election, only about 10 percent of registered voters participated,” he lamented. “That is not acceptable. We must restore confidence and encourage citizens to exercise their right to vote. The more voters we have, the stronger our democracy becomes.” 

On logistics, Prof. Amupitan warned against any form of malpractice in the management of transport arrangements, cautioning that all hired vehicles must be fully deployed as approved. He revealed that the Commission would audit every aspect of the logistics process after the election. 

“If an election fails to start on time, the Electoral Officer in that local government will have to explain why,” he stated. “We are spending huge resources to ensure that logistics work smoothly. Anyone found to have compromised the process will be held accountable.” 

The INEC Chairman added that the Commission would recognise and reward high-performing local governments while sanctioning those that fall short of expectations. 

“We will celebrate the best-performing local governments,” he said. “But those that cause problems will also be identified and investigated. Excellence must be rewarded, and negligence will not be tolerated.” 

Prof. Amupitan closed his address with a rallying call for professionalism and commitment, describing the Anambra Governorship Election as a defining test for the Commission. 

 “Anambra is a microcosm of Nigeria,” he said. “Whatever happens here will echo across the country. Let us prove that INEC can deliver a credible, peaceful, and transparent election that restores the faith of Nigerians in our democracy.”

INEC Chairman Amupitan Honoured For Dedication At Law Teachers' Conference, As He Promised Reform , Free , Fair And Credible Electoral Process

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, was honoured with a plaque for his "dedication, hard work, and inspiration to many" by the Federal University of Lokoja, during the 56th Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT).

The award highlighted a speech in which Prof. Amupitan pledged to collaborate with the National Assembly to deliver a “credible, fair, and free” electoral process for Nigeria.

Already under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has been vilifying Nigerians through his ant people's policies and programs, destabilizing the opposition political parties and silencing opposing views and critics, 2027 general election under his appointee Ojo Amupitan is on the watch for any credibility. Only time will tell.

Amupitan, addressing the conference, which he described as a “momentous occasion,” the INEC Chairman reflected on the foundational role of law in society. “Law is not merely a set of rules but a foundation upon which societies build their progress,” he stated, emphasizing that the electoral process is fundamentally driven by legal frameworks.

According to the INEC release, with the Electoral Act currently under amendment, Prof. Amupitan committed to active participation in the legislative process. “I will start waiting to participate in the National Assembly to be sure that we have a learning electoral process and laws that you and I and Nigerians should be proud of,” he said.

A key goal of this reform, he noted, is to reduce electoral litigations. “Let us not see electoral petitions in court,” Amupitan urged, stressing the aim to establish a fair process that inspires public confidence.

The presentation of the plaque from the Federal University of Lokoja served as a recognition of his ongoing contributions to public service and legal education, concluding an address where he also called for the support of the academic community in strengthening Nigeria's democracy.

Nigerians should not be carried away by political comments and promises but must rise up demand leadership accountable, ensure free , fair and credible elections in the country.

Source: INEC 

POINT-BLANK: NEW INEC CHAIRMAN PROF. AMUPITAN — A REDEEMER OR ANOTHER HOPE BETRAYED, TIME WILL TELL - LABOUR PARTY

By Prince Tony Akeni



"Labour Party, in particular, will forever remember Prof. Mahmood Yakubu's pretentious cooperation in matters of justice in political parties' internal leadership affairs. While pretending to follow due process in enabling Labour Party to resolve its Julius Abure led tenure rebellion, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood in another hand, in unashamed treachery, actually connived to betray justice for the party to the last minute of his exit. Prof Mahmood deliberately retained the name of the Supreme Court sacked Abure on INEC website as the party's national chairman, clinically sabotaged the Labour Party from participating in crucial elections throughout the country by unlawfully delisting the party from fielding candidates in the 2025 local government elections of various states, the Abuja municipal council elections coming up in 2026 and all other tiers of election across the country to the end of his tenure...

"As many Nigerians who are not yet under the collective hypnotism of APC's baptism of delusion *WILL ASK* , what rationale, except the opium of corruption harvest, made Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to retain on INEC's portal the defunct Julius Abure led leadership of Labour Party in spite of having the certified judgment of the Supreme Court and its corroborating interpretation of the Abuja Federal High Court, both of which unequivocally ruled that the Julius Abure leadership of the Labour Party had irreversibly ended?


"That is the Prof. Yakubu Mahmood the Labour Party and 230million Nigerians remember, and history centuries away will also remember and wrinkle their noses at his final resting place."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan has a fate larger than life thrust at his feet. To either redeem the largest democracy in Africa or further mutilate and bury its corpse which the ballot master-liar of all time, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has left behind as INEC chairman.

Above the pecks, glamour and glitter of the highly visible office which Prof. Amupitan now occupies, he must choose what he wishes to achieve and be remembered for.

He must choose who he will serve and the legacy he wishes to leave behind for his name and posterity.

He must choose whether to be honoured by more than 230million Nigerians who employed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or to serve the unconstitutional wishes and caprices of a single man, Tinubu, who appointed him.


To help him make that choice, Prof. Amupitan will do well to reflect how more than 230million Nigerians at home and all over the world will forever remember his immediate predecessor, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood.


Under the Obasanjo years, when Nigerians' thought Prof. Maurice Iwu, the INEC chairman at the time, was the worst electoral referee that happened to Nigeria, Prof. Attahiru Jega happened to Nigeria and erased that record. This was to the extent that one Elder Godsday Orubebe, who was the Minister of Niger Delta in the Jonathan administration of the time, screamed blue murder and embarked on a one-man rampage against INEC at the 2015 presidential election collation centre in front of the world press and international election observers.


At the close of that era when Nigerians' thought that it was impossible to manufacture a worse election overseer than Jega, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood came to mortally mar the mood and seal the hopes of Nigerians that elections could ever be free, fair or credible in our country, destroying the last vestige of Nigeria's electoral integrity almost to the point of no redemption.


Before Mahmood's tenures as INEC chairman, Nigerians merely lamented if their votes would count but with some reservoir of hope. However, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood buried that hope and made it a proverb of despair set in concrete, creating an endemic voter apathy throughout Nigeria that has no comparison in any other country in Africa and almost the whole world.


In the run-up to the epic 2023 general elections, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood promised Nigerians and the world in countless media briefings that ballot results would be transmitted in real-time from the polling units and entered from BIVAS records to the IREV servers for global integrity.


Mahmood promised this would be a process that shall not be compromised, violated or accepted by INEC, only to brazenly take the opposite stand against his sworn process by dismissing BIVAS results as non-compulsory in the collation of election results. He and his returning electoral commissioners across the country then uploaded insanely mutilated and duplicated result sheets supplied by the ruling party to announce the 2023 results, stood by those mutilations at the post-election tribunals, and returned the snatch-and-run-with-it concoctions of the presidential election, numerous governorship and countless National and State Assembly results as winners against the actual landslide presidential victory of the Labour Party and similar victory by other opposition political parties at different tiers of the polls.


As his last achievement for the ruling APC, at the end of which President Tinubu gave him a parting send-off with the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood also successfully pulled off a historic pre-election heist to make rigging easier for the ruling party in 2027 by manufacturing out-of-the-world phantom records of new voters registration in President Tinubu's home state of Osun.


Mahmood awarded a record 393,269 new voters in Osun state alone against just 1,998 new voters in the entire five South-East states combined. Nearly half a million new voters in the single state of Osun which has a population of 4.6million citizens, and less than 2,000 new voters in all the five states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo which command over 36million citizens!


Labour Party, in particular, will forever remember Prof. Mahmood Yakubu's pretentious cooperation in matters of justice in political parties' internal leadership affairs. While pretending to follow due process in enabling Labour Party to resolve its Julius Abure led tenure rebellion, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood in another hand, in unashamed treachery, actually connived to betray justice for the party to the last minute of his exit. Prof Mahmood deliberately retained the name of the Supreme Court sacked Abure on INEC website as the party's national chairman, clinically sabotaged the Labour Party from participating in crucial elections throughout the country by unlawfully delisting the party from fielding candidates in the 2025 local government elections of various states, the Abuja municipal council elections coming up in 2026 and all other tiers of election across the country to the end of his tenure. Mission accomplished, national award received, evil done and dusted, APC's 2027 victory guaranteed! So they think.


As many Nigerians who are not yet under the collective hypnotism of APC's baptism of delusion, what rationale, except the opium of corruption harvest, made Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to retain on INEC's portal the defunct Julius Abure led leadership of Labour Party in spite of having the certified judgment of the Supreme Court and its corroborating interpretation of the Abuja Federal High Court, both of which unequivocally ruled that the Julius Abure leadership of the Labour Party had irreversibly ended?


That is the Prof. Yakubu Mahmood the Labour Party and 230million Nigerians remember, and history centuries away will also remember and wrinkle their noses at his final resting place.


For the Labour Party, the first all-important litmus test that the new INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, will pass to prove that he has come to serve Nigeria in ernest of his oath of office is to remove the last dust and trace of Julius Abure and his defunct council members from INEC's portal and replace them with the Nenadi Usman led council which the statutory NEC of the party has submitted as its executive council. This will be in accord with the Supreme Court's judgment that the leadership of political parties is strictly the result of the internal decision and processes of parties. This also complies with both Nigeria's and global conventions which forbid leadership vacuum in the management of public institutions.


As Prof. Joash Amupitan steps into the shoes of his departed predecessor, he must realize that he is not only on the radar of Nigerians but the entire civilize world, the West and emerging democracies of the world which look unto Nigeria for good or bad examples.



Amupitan must prove to the world that he is not another election puppet out to serve the dictates of incumbents and ballot vampires for his personal enrichment at the expense of Nigeria's international image, global respect, progress and advancement, like most of his predecessors, but a true electoral umpire out to serve and save our country's long troubled democracy.



What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Nothing but eternal condemnation. Both the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran agree on this at Mark 8:36 and Q57:20 respectively.



Joash Amupitan, get off the gory road of power vapour and walk the glory road of eternity's favour.




Prince Tony Akeni,

Labour Party National

Publicity Secretary (Interim)

FACT CHECK: Newly INEC Chair, Prof Joash Amupitan was a member of the legal team of Bola Tinubu & the APC in the presidential election petition of 2023

 FACT CHECK : Was Prof. Joash Amupitan a member of the legal team of Bola Tinubu and the APC in the presidential election petition of 2023?

Yes, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN—a distinguished Nigerian legal scholar, professor of law at the University of Jos, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria—was part of the legal team representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election petition tribunal. The tribunal, presided over by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), heard challenges to Tinubu’s victory in the February 2023 general elections, primarily from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party (LP) led by Peter Obi.

Key Details of His Role

 

Amupitan 

• Position on the Team: Amupitan served as lead counsel for the APC and Tinubu during the proceedings. This role involved defending the election’s integrity against allegations of irregularities, non-compliance with electoral laws (e.g., the Electronic Transmission of Results or IReV system), voter suppression, and Tinubu’s eligibility under Section 137 of the 1999 Constitution.

 • Context of the Case: The APC’s defense, coordinated under lead counsel Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, argued that the petitioners failed to substantiate claims of widespread malpractice. Amupitan contributed to this strategy, focusing on legal precedents in electoral law, evidence admissibility, and procedural dismissals. The tribunal ultimately dismissed the petitions on September 6, 2023, upholding Tinubu’s victory in a unanimous 4-0 decision (with one justice recusing).

 • Team Composition: The APC assembled a formidable team of over 50 Senior Advocates, including Olanipekun, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN, now Attorney-General), and others like Gordy Uche (SAN) and Adeniyi Akintola (SAN). Amupitan’s expertise in corporate governance, evidence law, and electoral reforms aligned with the defense’s emphasis on dismissing petitions for lack of merit.

Evidence and Sources

This involvement has been corroborated in multiple reports, particularly amid recent scrutiny following Tinubu’s nomination of Amupitan as INEC Chairman in October 2025. Civil society groups, such as the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria (COCSON), highlighted his prior role as a potential conflict of interest, urging rejection of the nomination to preserve INEC’s neutrality. For instance:

 • COCSON explicitly noted Amupitan’s service as “lead counsel to the APC and President Tinubu during the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal,” arguing it could erode public trust in electoral impartiality.

Broader Implications

Amupitan’s participation underscores his deep engagement in high-stakes electoral litigation, drawing from his over 30 years of legal practice since being called to the Bar in 1988. However, his 2025 INEC nomination—approved by the Council of State on October 9, 2025, and pending Senate confirmation—has reignited debates on partisanship in public appointments. Tinubu described him as “apolitical and a man of integrity,” but critics point to this history as evidence of alignment with the APC.

This confirmation is based on contemporaneous 2023 reports and recent 2025 analyses of his career trajectory.

2027: "National Council of State Confirms President Tinubu's Nomination, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN As New INEC National Chairman

COMPLAINT FROM LABOUR PARTY (LP) TO THE NEW INEC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, PROF AMUPITAN

Amupitan

1. The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria as the new National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

2. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu's exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.

3. President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North - Central Geo-Political Zone, nominated to occupy the position and he is apolitical. 

4. The Council members unanimously supported the nomination, while Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State described  Amupitan as a man of integrity. 

5. In compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

6. Amupitan, who was born on April 25, 1967 is 58 years old and hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA  in Kogi State. After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.

7. Amupitan is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also an alumnus of the university. He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

8. He earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.

9. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

10. Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).

11. Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).

12. Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles(2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013)  and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

13. He is married and has four children.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information and Strategy)"

Thursday 9th October, 2025

*COMPLAINT FROM LABOUR PARTY (LP) TO THE NEW INEC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, PROF AMUPITAN*

1. It is hoped that professor Amupitan's arrival shall herald the much needed transparency and integrity with accountability in the Nation's electoral processes to engender free, fair and credible elections especially in 2027 were every vote is expected to count.

2. Permit me to bring to the attention of the new INEC national chairman, the case of Labour Party (LP) pending INEC's uploading in its portal the names of Senator Nenadi Usman as National Chairman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha as National Secretary.

3. The pending removal of the names of Julius Abure and Umar Farouk Ibrahim from the INEC portal put their by a court order after the 8th October 2024 FCT High Court Judgement now voided, is long overdue, and owing to the fact that the Supreme Court in its landmark judgement on 4th April 2025 was meritorious in favour of the Appellants: Senator Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington.

4. Suffice it to say that the Supreme Court Judgement of 4th April 2025 sacked Julius Abure and Umar Farouk Ibrahim as National Chairman and Secretary and dismissed the FCT High Court Judgement of 8th October 2024 and Appeal Court Judgement of 17th January 2025 that recognized Julius Abure as National Chairman for lack of Jurisdiction and sequel to the expiration of their tenure on 8th June 2024.

5. Furthermore, the Federal High Court Judgement of 15th August 2025 affirmed the INEC's Counter Affidavit Suit that voided the illegal and unlawful national convention "gathering" which took place in Nnewi Anambra State on 27th March 2024 conducted by Julius Abure and his co-conspirators.

6. The premise for the nullification of their purported national convention was predicated on the non conduct of Congresses and Delegates Election in violation of the provisions of the party's constitution 2019 as amended and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and the electoral Act 2002. 

CONGRATULATIONS Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan,