INEC Chairman Admits Major Trust Deficit Among Nigerians as Commission Seeks to Restore Credibility

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan has admitted that a “palpable” trust deficit among Nigerians is a major challenge for the commission.

Speaking in Abuja, he acknowledged that public skepticism remains a significant hurdle to achieving widespread electoral participation.

Amupitan emphasized that democratic growth requires both legal standing and public legitimacy. He appealed to the National Peace Committee to help rebuild voter confidence, noting that low turnout is a direct result of the current lack of faith in the system.

The Chairman described Nigeria’s electoral landscape as complex and competitive, asserting that transparency is the only way to ensure winners are truly accepted. He stated that INEC welcomes constructive criticism to help refine and improve its operational processes.

To boost transparency, the commission is sanitizing the voter register and introducing new safeguards for results management. Amupitan also warned that the spread of false narratives during elections further undermines public confidence and inflames political tensions.

While refining technical processes, the Chairman stressed that credible elections are a collective responsibility involving political parties and law enforcement.

He called for internal party discipline and the decisive prosecution of electoral offenses like vote trading.

Looking ahead to the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls, Amupitan described them as critical milestones before 2027. He advocated for the timely release of election funds to ensure proper logistics and overall operational preparedness for these key contests.