Prof. Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stated he accepted the role only after receiving what he described as a divine assurance from God. Speaking at an end-of-tenure service in Abuja organised by the Nigerian Baptist Convention for Israel Akanji and his wife, Victoria, Amupitan said he would have declined the appointment without spiritual conviction. "If I did not have the conviction for this job, I would not accept it," he said. He recounted hearing a message he attributed to God: "Fear not; do not be dismayed. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you." Amupitan said this divine guidance has sustained him amid challenges in managing Nigeria's electoral process. He asserted that no difficulty is beyond God's power to resolve, adding, "No matter the storm, no matter the difficulty, God is able to calm every storm." He called on Nigerians to pray for the success of the 2027 general election, expressing hope that it would be "the best ever." Amupitan was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025, succeeding Mahmood Yakubu, and assumed office the same month. His appointment made him the sixth substantive INEC chairman. At his swearing-in, he had similarly framed his appointment as divinely guided. His recent remarks come amid scrutiny over resurfaced social media posts allegedly linked to him, showing support for President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress during the 2023 elections. Digital traces have connected an X account formerly bearing his name to those posts, prompting calls from opposition figures and civil society for his resignation. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) recently demanded his removal. Amupitan has denied owning the account, and INEC has dismissed the allegations as attempts to discredit the commission.
Amupitan claims divine instruction cleared his path to INEC, yet offers no divine clarification on why his name remains tied to partisan social media activity during the 2023 elections. The same spiritual certainty he cites as justification for accepting office does not extend to transparency about digital footprints raising neutrality concerns. Nigerians named in voter registers cannot rely on faith alone to verify the impartiality of those overseeing their votes. His call for prayer ahead of 2027 does not absolve the need for verifiable accountability.
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