INEC chairmen and the partisanship suspicion that never goes away
- A columnist traces how every Nigerian electoral commission chairman has faced accusations of partisanship.
- The piece recalls Justice Olakunle Orojo rejecting the job in 1993 and Humphrey Nwosu's annulled June 12 election.
- It argues the way INEC chairmen are appointed makes them look like they owe the president.
Every chairman of Nigeria's electoral body, from the old FEDECO and NEC to today's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has at some point been accused of siding with the ruling party, according to a column by Eric Teniola published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).
The piece, titled "Constant Frustration of INEC Chairman", looks back at the history of the commission and argues that the way its chairmen are chosen leaves them open to suspicion.
Teniola recalls that Justice Olakunle Orojo, a former Ondo State Chief Judge, turned down the job in 1993 after General Ibrahim Babangida announced him to replace Professor Humphrey Nwosu.
He also points to Nwosu, whose tenure ended with the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Teniola says Nwosu faced humiliation during and after his time in office, and cites Nwosu's book on the election and its annulment.
Why the appointment process matters
The column argues that the selection process is flawed. It invokes the saying that "he who pays the piper calls the tune", suggesting that past chairmen felt they owed their jobs to the person who appointed them.
It notes that Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution gives the president the power to appoint the INEC chairman and members, while Section 154 requires the president to consult the Council of State before doing so.
Teniola lists the commission's chairmen from Roland Edward Wraith, who headed the body from 1958 to 1963, through to Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who took over in 2025.
He notes that Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, and wishes him well ahead of the coming general elections.
The column also recounts Wraith's tenure, saying his commission organised the 1958 regional elections and the December 12, 1959 federal elections, in which turnout was put at about 79.5 per cent. The Northern People's Congress won 134 of 312 seats and formed a coalition government with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, paving the way for independence on October 1, 1960.
For ordinary Nigerians, the argument matters because trust in INEC shapes whether people believe their votes will count. A commission seen as tied to the ruling party can discourage voters and weaken confidence in results.
Teniola's conclusion is that the country needs a way of appointing INEC members that does not make them suspects before they even start work.
