The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has vowed to end the growing trend of elections being decided in courtrooms instead of at the polling units.
Speaking just a week after his swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu, the INEC boss said his leadership will ensure that electoral victories are determined by voters, not by judges.
“Elections must be won at the polling units, not in the courtroom,” he declared.
Prof. Amupitan made the statement on Monday while addressing participants at the 56th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) held at the University of Abuja.
He expressed concern over the high number of pre-election cases that have burdened the country’s democratic system, describing it as unhealthy for the growth of Nigeria’s democracy.
The INEC Chairman lamented that over 1,000 pre-election cases were filed before the 2023 general elections — a situation he termed “litigation by other means.”
According to him, genuine democratic contests should be decided by the people, not through endless court disputes.
He emphasized that sustainable reform must start from the political parties, noting that most pre-election cases arise from internal party conflicts and disregard for their constitutions.
“If political parties obey their constitutions, respect the Electoral Act, and align with the Nigerian Constitution, the avalanche of pre-election cases will collapse,” Amupitan said.
The electoral chief stated that his vision is to make the law an instrument of order and fairness.
“My desire is that when we get the law right, even the losers will be the first to congratulate the winner. That is when our democracy can be said to have matured,” he added.
Amupitan also called on the National Assembly to strengthen existing electoral laws to promote transparency, party discipline, and public confidence in the electoral process.
He admitted that not everyone would be pleased with the coming reforms, but stressed that restoring integrity to elections is more important than convenience.
“We cannot continue to allow the courts to determine our elections,” he said firmly. “Elections must be won at the polling units, not in the courtroom.”
Addressing law teachers, jurists, and students at the event, the INEC Chairman urged them to view the law as a tool for justice and national development, not as a means of personal enrichment.
“As law teachers, we must lead by example — building a generation that values integrity over influence and justice over convenience,” he stated.
Prof. Amupitan attended the event alongside his wife, Prof. Yemisi Amupitan, a respected academic and member of the NALT Board of Trustees.
Meanwhile, this development comes as expectations rise for electoral reforms under Amupitan’s leadership, particularly ahead of upcoming off-cycle governorship elections.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
