Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said he accepted the responsibility of leading Nigeria’s electoral body only after “a clear divine conviction that God would strengthen and help him in office”.
Amupitan, who spoke at the end of tenure and appreciation service organised by the Nigerian Baptist Convention for its outgoing president, Israel Akanji, and his wife, Victoria, in Abuja, said he would have declined the appointment if he lacked that spiritual assurance.
“If I did not have the conviction for this job, I would not accept it,” he said.
The INEC boss said he drew strength from “a clear message from God.
“The Lord said, ‘Fear not; do not be dismayed. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you.’ I heard this clearly before I accepted this job,” Amupitan said.
He said conviction had remained the anchor of his stewardship at the commission, despite challenges associated with managing elections in a complex democratic environment.
According to him, divine guidance has sustained him since assuming office, adding that no storm was beyond God’s power to calm.
“No matter the storm, no matter the difficulty, God is able to calm every storm. That is what God has been doing,” he said.
The INEC chair seized the moment to call on Nigerians to pray for the electoral body and for the success of the 2027 general election, expressing confidence that the next polls could set a new benchmark.
“Continue to pray for Nigeria, continue to pray for us, and continue to pray for me that the 2027 election will be the best ever,” he said.
“I cannot do it on my own, but with the Lord on my side, it is possible, and it is doable.”
Amupitan also reflected more broadly on public service and ministry, warning against taking up responsibilities without a clear sense of purpose.
“My experience so far as the INEC chairman is that if God does not send you somewhere, do not go there. If God does not send you, do not do it,” he said.
His latest comments follows the recent controversies of allegedly being partisan and supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
There have been questions around electoral integrity, technology deployment and voter confidence already shaping public discourse.
Amupitan was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in October 2025 to succeed Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ended on October 7 of that year.
He has faced allegations arising from resurfaced social media posts said to have shown sympathy for President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress during the 2023 elections.
The controversy has fueled questions over the perceived neutrality of the electoral umpire.
The claims have triggered calls from opposition figures and some civil society voices for his resignation, with critics arguing the controversy has raised questions about the perceived neutrality of the electoral umpire ahead of 2027.
The controversy deepened after digital traces linked an X account formerly bearing the handle associated with Amupitan to old partisan posts.
However, the INEC chairman has denied operating any such account and insisted he has remained politically neutral.
The commission has also pushed back, describing the allegations as part of an attempt to discredit its leadership, while officials have defended the chairman against calls for removal.
Major opposition figures, parties and civil society organisations have called for his resignation over separate concerns related to INEC decisions involving the party’s leadership dispute.