The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has ruled out accepting any political or diplomatic appointment after leaving office, saying his role as electoral umpire is built on public trust and a commitment to impartiality.

Amupitan gave the assurance on Thursday during a panel discussion at Chatham House in London, titled, “Nigeria’s 2027 elections: Democratic trajectory and regional stability beyond the ballot”.

He was asked whether he would reject political or diplomatic appointments after his tenure, following the decision of his predecessor, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to accept an ambassadorial appointment from President Bola Tinubu after overseeing the 2023 general election.

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

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