Why we support Tinubu’s choice of Amupitan – NNPP

The Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Dr Boniface Aniebonam has expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s choice of Prof. Joash Amupitan as INEC chairman.

Aniebonam’spoke against the background of controversies surrounding Amupitan’s appointment on Sunday in Lagos.

The National Council of States on Oct. 7, approved the appointment of Amupitan to take over from Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu as INEC chairman.

The appointment is awaiting confirmation by Senate.

According to Aniebonam, Amupitan already has his work cut out for him and should hit the ground running as soon as his appointment is confirmed.

“The first task for Amupitan is to change the battered image of INEC and return the trust of Nigerians in the umpire.

“INEC’s image has been so eroded over the years that the first task before Amupitan is righting the wrongs by the commission and re-creating confidence in it.

“Amupitan needs to study the commission thoroughly and correct issues currently before it that Mahmoud ignored,” he said.

According to Aniebonam , President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council members must have seen Amupitan’s capacity before nominating him, pointing out that the President is truly committed to right the wrongs in Nigeria, and may be starting with INEC.

“What we need in Nigeria at the moment shall be leaders who can take informed and hard decisions, if we must reinvent the Nigeria of our dreams

“Our experience with INEC over the internal leadership crisis in NNPP have given us an insight into the ills of the commission and how the body worked sometimes.

“For the immediate past leadership of INEC to ignore subsisting court orders and directives to upload the NNPP new national executives was a shocker and very shameful in constitutional democracy.

“What could have stopped the former INEC boss from obeying the court orders should be looked into. These and many more are part of issues that can erode a people’s confidence in an institution.

“Amupitan has the choice to either follow the path of past INEC chairmen or write his name in Diamond,” he said.

According to Aniebonam, unattended matters, especially disobedience to court judgments should be cleared forthwith by the new INEC boss once confirmed.

NAN