Amupitan Rules Out Political, Diplomatic Appointment After INEC Tenure

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said he will not accept any political or diplomatic appointment after completing his tenure at the electoral body.

Amupitan made the declaration on Thursday during a panel discussion at Chatham House in London, where he spoke on the topic, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”

Responding to a question on whether he would reject future political or diplomatic appointments, the INEC chairman said his decision to serve at the commission was based on public trust and the responsibility to remain impartial.

“I’m not going to accept any appointment from anybody because coming to serve here is based on trust,” he said.

His remarks came against the background of his predecessor, Mahmood Yakubu, accepting an ambassadorial nomination from President Bola Tinubu after overseeing the 2023 general elections.

Yakubu was among 32 ambassadorial nominees submitted by Tinubu to the Senate for confirmation in November 2025 and was subsequently designated as Nigeria’s non-career ambassador to Qatar.