The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), has warned the Senate against a hasty or politically motivated confirmation of the newly appointed chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, that such move could deepen public distrust towards the electoral process.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, made the statement on Friday in Abuja, shortly after the inaugural meeting of the Venue Sub-Committee for the PDP 2025 Elective National Convention, chaired by the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Lawal.
Ologunagba warned that Nigerians and the international community were watching how the confirmation will be handled.
According to Ologunagba, the Senate must not ‘rubber-stamp’ the nomination, adding that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, already under public suspicion after the 2023 general elections, now hangs on how transparently the upper chamber carries out the confirmation hearing.
“We recognise the constitutional process that allows the President to nominate through the Council of State, which has now been done.
“The next step is for the Senate to conduct a thorough confirmation hearing on behalf of the Nigerian people,” Ologunagba said.
“Our position as a party has always been the need to build strong institutions. When institutions work, it matters little who heads them because the systems themselves ensure accountability.
“INEC is critical to the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, and we expect the Senate to do its job diligently,” he added.