Former Governor of Edo State and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to ensure that individuals with direct political affiliations including spouses of politicians are excluded from sensitive positions within the electoral body.
Oshiomhole made the appeal on Monday during the Senate’s screening of Amupitan, stressing that conflicts of interest within the commission could jeopardise the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s elections.
“One last point, an experience we had in Edo State, because the Senate President said we should speak from our own experiences,” Oshiomhole said. “The chairman of a political party, one that is dying now, had his wife serving as a director or heading the ICT unit of INEC in the state.”
According to the former governor, such situations blur the line between partisan politics and impartial election management, creating opportunities for manipulation and bias.
“The husband, being the PDP chairman at the time, had his wife boasting that she could supply information that would help them deal with accreditation issues,” Oshiomhole alleged.
He argued that the presence of politically exposed individuals or their close relatives in key INEC departments particularly those handling voter accreditation, result transmission, and logistics could cast doubt on the commission’s neutrality and erode public confidence in the electoral process.
“We must ensure that INEC remains truly independent,” the senator added. “If you are a spouse of a politician, you should not be given a sensitive appointment. We must avoid turning INEC into a family affair.”
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Oshiomhole urged the new INEC chairman to implement a clear internal policy framework that would prevent such conflicts of interest from recurring, noting that integrity and transparency are the bedrock of any credible election.
He emphasized that the credibility of future polls would depend not only on technology or reforms but also on the ethical conduct and impartiality of INEC officials.
“It’s not just about machines or processes,” he said. “It’s about human integrity the people managing those processes must be above suspicion.”
Oshiomhole’s comments come at a time when Nigeria’s electoral system faces increasing scrutiny from citizens, civil society organisations, and political stakeholders calling for deeper reforms and greater transparency within INEC.
The screening of Professor Joash Amupitan followed President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of the academic to head the commission after the expiration of the previous chairman’s tenure.
Amupitan, a law professor, assured senators of his commitment to strengthening INEC’s institutional independence and ensuring that elections in Nigeria remain credible, transparent, and free from political interference.
He pledged to review the commission’s internal structures to promote merit, professionalism, and public trust in its operations.
The Senate is expected to confirm Amupitan’s appointment following the completion of the screening exercise.