Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called for an amendment to the Electoral Act to require political parties to conclude their primary elections at least one year before general elections.

Amupitan said the proposal would give political parties sufficient time to resolve disputes arising from candidate nominations, thereby reducing election-related litigation.

According to a statement posted on INEC’s X handle on Tuesday, Amupitan made the call while delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023) in Abuja.

He explained that resolving party primary disputes well before elections would allow the electoral commission to focus on its constitutional responsibility of conducting credible polls rather than addressing conflicts originating from political parties.

According to Amupitan, most election-related litigation stems from disagreements over party primaries rather than issues arising during elections themselves.

“Most election-related legal disputes begin long before Nigerians cast their votes. If political parties conclude their primaries early and conduct them in a transparent, credible and inclusive manner, it will go a long way in reducing unnecessary litigation,” Amupitan said.

He said political parties could only strengthen Nigeria’s democracy by respecting their constitutions, adhering to their rules and providing members with a genuine opportunity to choose candidates.

Amupitan warned that the imposition of candidates, lack of transparency during party primaries and disregard for party guidelines had continued to fuel avoidable pre-election court cases, weaken public confidence and undermine the country’s electoral process.

“Strengthening internal democracy within political parties is as important as strengthening the nation’s electoral institutions,” he said.

He added that credible elections begin with credible candidate selection.

Amupitan also called for constitutional and electoral reforms to grant INEC greater financial autonomy to effectively discharge its responsibilities.

He noted that although the Constitution places INEC’s funding on the first-line charge, the commission still operates under the annual budget system, which limits its operational efficiency.

To address the challenge, he proposed that INEC’s funding should come directly from the Federation Account, enabling the commission to conduct voter registration, regulate political parties and organise elections without unnecessary administrative delays.

​The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has fired back at the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for demanding President Bola Tinubu’s resignation.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, the National Chairman of the party, Nentawe Yilwatda, said Tinubu it not tired as Obi had said.

He questioned the basis for describing the president as exhausted, insisting that Tinubu continues to work tirelessly while delivering key projects across the country.

“Let me put it this way, especially to Obi, who claimed that Tinubu is tired—is he (Tinubu) going for boxing or 400 metres?

“Are you telling me that the President who stays and works from morning till night is tired? These are the issues we are talking about,” he said.

According to him, millions of Nigerians benefiting from the administration’s policies would not support calls for Tinubu to retire from office.

It will be recalled that Obi had on national television said that Tinubu was tired and needs to retire and go home.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, has appealed for the support of traditional rulers in ensuring a peaceful, credible and violence-free governorship election in Osun State in August.

Prof. Amupitan made the appeal on Tuesday during a visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in Ile-Ife.

He expressed concern over the political atmosphere in the state, urging traditional rulers to appeal to politicians and political parties to conduct issue-based campaigns devoid of rancour and violence.

“The blood of Nigerians is not worth the ambition of any politician,” Amupitan said.

Amupitan said the visit was to formally notify the Ooni of the forthcoming governorship election and to seek royal prayers and blessings ahead of what he described as one of Nigeria’s most significant off-cycle elections.

“The visit is to formally announce to you that the Osun governorship election is coming up on Saturday, August 15, 2026,” the INEC chairman said, adding that Osun occupies a special place in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

The INEC chairman also called for proper verification of information to prevent the spread of misinformation and disinformation, warning that false information could fuel unnecessary violence before, during and after the election.

Amupitan said restoring public confidence in the electoral body remained one of his priorities, stressing that the commission was committed to conducting elections that were credible, free, fair and transparent.

“We have decided that one of the ways we can build trust is to ensure that elections must be credible, free, fair and transparent,” he stated.

He explained that INEC, as a creation of the Nigerian Constitution, is responsible for conducting elections into elective offices across Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as registering and deregistering political parties, conducting referendums and maintaining the national voters’ register.

The INEC chairman also announced that the 2027 general elections would commence with the presidential and National Assembly polls on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections would be held on February 6, 2027.

He noted that earlier off-cycle and by-elections had delayed his visit to Ile-Ife.

Describing the Osun governorship poll as “the most consequential off-cycle election in Nigeria,” Amupitan said it would serve as a mirror for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

He urged traditional rulers to work towards ensuring that the election was peaceful, commenced on schedule and had a timely declaration of results.

He disclosed that all 12 National Commissioners of INEC, representing the six geopolitical zones, accompanied him on the visit, saying the commission considered it important to pay homage to the Ooni in recognition of Ile-Ife as the ancestral cradle of the Yoruba race.

Responding, the Ooni of Ife said traditional rulers in Osun had remained above partisan politics despite growing political tension in the state.

“The traditional rulers have resolved to tell politicians the truth and encourage them to do what is fair and right because the political tension is becoming unbearable and worrisome,” the monarch said.

The Ooni urged INEC to remain impartial and allow the electorate to freely choose their preferred candidates, while commending President Bola Tinubu for strengthening the commission’s independence.

He appealed to the electoral body to “do what is right, just and fair,” stressing that the interest of traditional rulers was beyond politics and centred on the peace, stability and progress of Osun State.