INEC deserves commendation, not condemnation, says Arewa Youth Forum

• Backs Amupitan

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), representing millions of youth across northern Nigeria, has commended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, for his leadership of the Commission and the marked improvement in the conduct of recent elections, pledging the Forum’s full support and active collaboration ahead of the 2027 general election.

The commendation was delivered during a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, by a high-level AYF delegation led by the Forum’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, who hailed the Commission’s growing record of transparent, peaceful and credible elections under Prof. Amupitan’s watch.

“We stand before you today to commend the hard work of your leadership and the successes recorded in the recent elections held across the country,” Alhaji Gujungu told the INEC Chairman. “The improvement in logistics, timely deployment of materials, and adherence to election guidelines despite enormous challenges are commendable”, he added.

The AYF BOT Chairman specifically applauded INEC’s deployment of technology, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), as a decisive step toward eliminating electoral fraud and ensuring that results reflect the true will of Nigerian voters.

He described the Commission’s commitment to technology-driven elections as one of the most significant advances in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

Alhaji Gujungu also addressed what he called a pattern of politically motivated attacks on the Commission, saying the AYF had conducted tours across northern Nigeria and found that public confidence in INEC was being eroded by orchestrated misinformation rather than genuine operational failures.

“An independent electoral body must be judged on facts and evidence, not propaganda. AYF strongly rejects the politicisation of INEC, especially at this critical time in our national history,” he said.

Responding, Prof. Amupitan thanked the Forum for what he described as an exceptional show of objectivity, noting that positive assessments of the Commission’s work were rare in the current media environment.

He said the AYF’s visit and public solidarity would strengthen the Commission’s resolve as it intensified preparations for the 2027 general election.

The INEC Chairman confirmed that Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for 15 January 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on 6 February 2027, and called on all Nigerians to support the Commission in delivering elections that would serve as a model for Africa.

“Nigeria has the largest democracy in Africa,” Prof. Amupitan said, adding, “For it to be well with Africa, Nigeria must get it right. And we are committed and determined to ensure that we face that election head on.”

He cited the recently concluded Ekiti State Governorship Election as a demonstration of the Commission’s improving standards, recalling that observers noted the early arrival of INEC officials at polling units, the calm and secure atmosphere, and the seamless deployment of election materials. He said the Commission would build on that template for subsequent elections, including the Osun State Governorship Election scheduled for 16 August 2025.

As part of the visit, the AYF formally proposed two areas of collaboration with the Commission: a grassroots voter education campaign across northern Nigeria to be conducted in partnership with INEC’s Voter Education and Publicity Department, targeting voter mobilisation, anti-vote-buying messaging, and technology literacy among the electorate; and a post-election feedback mechanism through which AYF field coordinators would collect and submit polling unit-level data on logistics, staff conduct and technology performance to the Commission after each election.

Prof. Amupitan welcomed both proposals and directed the Director of Voter Education and Publicity to immediately establish a formal liaison with the AYF to deepen the Commission’s grassroots outreach in northern Nigeria.

The AYF, which the Forum said represents between two and three million youth in northern Nigeria and the FCT, pledged to mobilise its membership to respect electoral laws, reject fake news, report criminal elements, and actively protect the integrity of the voting process in the lead-up to 2027.