By Ralph Omololu Agbana, Lokoja.
Okun Development Association (ODA), the umbrella socio-cultural organisation of the Yoruba people in Kogi State has affirmed confidence in the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, with a call for national restraint in public commentary relating to internal party disputes ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group urged Nigerians to grant Prof. Amupitan, a son of the soil, the calm and institutional space needed to serve the nation with neutrality, courage and desired result.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, ODA’s President-General, Ambassador Akenson Rotimi, on behalf of Okun sons and daughters worldwide, extended sappreciation President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the appointment of Prof Joash Amupitan as Chairman of INEC noting the body received his appointment as “a clear endorsement of competence and character, and as a call to national service, anchored on merit.”
Rotimi noted that “The confidence reposed in Prof. Amupitan (SAN), is an honour to Okunland, to Kogi State, and to every Nigerian who believes that public office should reward integrity and capacity.
“ODA declares, without reservations, our unflinching support for Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, as he assumes leadership of INEC at a defining moment in our nation’s democratic journey. His public and academic record reflect uncommon discipline, fidelity to due process, and abiding respect for institutions.
“In every assignment he has handled, Prof. Amupitan has shown the temperament, intellectual depth, and moral courage required to manage sensitive national duties with fairness and firmness. We are assured
that these qualities will guide his stewardship of the Commission.
“Prof. Joash Amupitan personifies the values Okunland holds dear: honesty, hard work, humility, and service above self. As a scholar, he has raised generations of Nigerians who today serve in critical sectors of our society. As an administrator, he has built systems that outlast individuals. His commitment to strong, impartial institutions is exactly what INEC requires to consolidate public trust. We are confident that under his leadership, the Commission will discharge its constitutional mandate without fear or favour, and that his tenure will strengthen the credibility of our electoral process”.
He added that ODA is mindful that the office of INEC Chairman will always attract intense public scrutiny. However, the former Nigeria’s envoy to Sri Lanka noted that while such scrutiny is part of democracy, “we respectfully remind all stakeholders, political actors, and concerned citizens that Nigeria’s constitutional order provides established channels for resolving disputes”.
He further stated that, “We therefore urge any aggrieved parties to ventilate their concerns through the appropriate legal and institutional mechanisms. We call for restraint in public commentary and ask all Nigerians to grant Prof. Amupitan the calm and institutional space needed to serve the nation with neutrality, courage and desired result.
The Okun Development Association reaffirmed its commitment to national unity, democratic stability, and the success of the Tinubu administration.
“We assure the President and the Nigerian people that Prof. Joash Amupitan will discharge his
responsibilities with honour, will bring credibility and candour to his office, to Okunland, and to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We request the prayers and goodwill of all citizens as he undertakes this solemn duty for the nation”.
