Joash Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, declared that the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states would serve as an immediate litmus test for the commission ahead of the 2027 general election. He made the statement in an Eid-el-Fitr message issued on March 20, 2026.
Amupitan urged staff to carry the discipline of the just-concluded Ramadan fast into their duties. He explained that the virtues of patience, integrity and empathy would guide the commission through critical polls in 2026.
The Independent National Electoral Commission fixed the Ekiti governorship election for June 20, 2026, and the Osun governorship election for August 8, 2026. Amupitan described these off-cycle votes as key milestones that would test ongoing reforms before the nationwide 2027 polls.
Amupitan assumed office on October 23, 2025, and immediately began modernising operations. He noted that the commission now works under the Electoral Act 2026, which demands full use of the bimodal voter accreditation system and the INEC result viewing portal. Moreover, he said these technologies would face their first major trial in Ekiti and Osun.
Amupitan stressed professional excellence as non-negotiable. He called for zero tolerance to any form of misconduct to rebuild public trust and reduce voter apathy. In addition, he highlighted improved staff welfare as essential to shield workers from external political pressure.
Amupitan concluded that successful conduct of the Ekiti and Osun polls would prepare the commission for the ultimate test in 2027. He reaffirmed commitment to free, fair and transparent elections across Nigeria.
