The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has declared that Nigeria must move beyond the era where courts, rather than the electorate, determine the outcome of elections.
Prof. Amupitan, who made the statement on Monday at the 56th Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) held at the University of Abuja, stressed that elections should be won and lost at polling units, not in courtrooms.
Speaking barely a week after assuming office following his swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu, the INEC boss vowed to tackle what he described as the “rising tide of pre-election litigations” that have long burdened Nigeria’s electoral process.
He lamented that over 1,000 pre-election cases were filed before the 2023 general elections, a situation he described as both unsustainable and undemocratic.
“That is not democracy; that is litigation by other means,” he said firmly.
Prof. Amupitan noted that genuine reform must begin within political parties themselves, emphasizing that respect for internal rules and adherence to constitutional provisions are essential for credible elections.
“If political parties obey their constitutions, respect the Electoral Act, and align with the Nigerian Constitution, the avalanche of pre-election cases will collapse,” he said.
The INEC Chairman explained that his goal is to make the law an instrument of order and positive change rather than confusion.
“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 the country’s electoral framework to promote internal democracy and ensure greater transparency in party processes.
While acknowledging that his reforms might not please everyone, he insisted that restoring public trust in the electoral system must come first.
“We cannot continue to allow the courts to determine our elections. Elections must be won at the polling units, not in the courtroom,” he reiterated.
Addressing a gathering of law teachers, students, and jurists at the event themed “Law, National Development and Economic Sustainability in a Globalised World,” Prof. Amupitan urged legal scholars to view the law as a tool for justice and reform rather than personal advantage.
“As law teachers, we must lead by example—building a generation that values integrity over influence and justice over convenience,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan attended the conference alongside his wife, Prof. Yemisi Amupitan, a respected legal scholar and member of the NALT Board of Trustees.
Earlier in his remarks, NALT President and Dean of Law at the University of Ibadan, Prof. John Akintayo, commended the INEC Chairman’s reformist vision, noting that a nation’s progress depends on how its laws anticipate and shape change.
Conference Chairman, Prof. Uwakwe Abugu of the University of Abuja, also noted that this year’s gathering would address critical national concerns such as food security, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the legal reforms needed to keep pace with modern governance challenges.