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Minimum wage talks: Labour considers N100,000 as Tinubu issues ultimatum
Organised Labour may settle for N100,000 minimum wage as the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage commences daily meetings for five days to reach a consensus.
Multiple sources in the labour movement told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the union leaders were willing to review their demand from N494,000 to N100,000, following the criticism and controversy that trailed their proposal which was considered outrageous and unrealistic.
In a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim on Saturday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the proposed minimum wage would result in an annual expenditure of N9.5tn, a burden he described as untenable for the nation’s finances.
Despite the intervention of the leadership of the National Assembly, labour embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday, a development that grounded economic activities nationwide.
Banks, airports, public schools and courts were shut, forcing the Federal Government to convene an emergency meeting to find a way out of the impasse.
In a bid to move the negotiation forward, the unions on Tuesday announced the suspension of the industrial action for five days after President Bola Tinubu agreed to pay a national minimum wage higher than N60,000 and the tripartite committee pledged its readiness to convene daily until a new minimum wage is announced.
To show his commitment to the negotiation, the President on Tuesday directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present the cost implications for a new minimum wage within two days.
Tinubu gave the order at a meeting with the government negotiation team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking with The PUNCH in confidence because Labour had not formally presented its final offer to the tripartite committee, a senior NLC official confirmed that the unions would insist on N100,000 minimum wage.
Agenda setting
He stated, “Today’s (Tuesday) meeting was essentially to set an agenda and plan how to complete the assignment within the five days.
“The government representatives did not mention a raise in the N60, 000. They just set the agenda on what to do and how to go about the negotiation. There was no mention of any increment. But labour planned to close the negotiation on N100,000 minimum wage.’’
The Deputy Head of NLC Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, also confirmed that the Tuesday tripartite meeting on minimum wage was to draw an agenda for the daily meetings.
“We met today (Tuesday) to draw up an agenda for the one-week daily meeting. We met today and drew the agenda because the agreement was that we meet daily for the meet one week and on our own, we said we are relaxing the strike not even suspending it.
“It’s more like putting everybody on red alert. It means we are not going to give any notice. Which means by this time next week, we are going on strike. There is a difference between relax and suspend. Relax is to stay on your duty post and put your hands on the trigger. It is tomorrow (today) that we are expecting the government to submit another proposal,’’ he explained.
The organised labour vowed to reject any little addition to the N60,000 offer by the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage.
The President of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo, made this known on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
TUC warns
When asked whether labour would accept a few thousand naira additions to the offer, the TUC boss said, “No, we also told them that it’s not that we’d get to the table and you start adding N1, N2, N3,000 as you were doing and we got some good guarantees here and there that they would do something good.”
Osifo added that labour was not fixated on N494,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the country but the tripartite committee must show seriousness and offer workers something economically realistic in tandem with current inflationary pressures.
Though the union leader refused to mention a specific amount, he said the new minimum wage must be equal in purchasing power to the value of N30,000 in 2019 and N18,000 in 2014.
But disclosing to journalists the presidential directive to the finance minister, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Tinubu during the meeting directed Edun to provide the financial implications of the new minimum wage in 48 hours.
He noted, “The President has just summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The minister of finance was there, the minister of budget planning, the minister of information, the minister of budget and national planning, the minister of labour, and the NNPCL GMD.
“We were all there to look at all issues and the President has directed the minister of finance to do the numbers and get back to him between today and tomorrow so that we can have figures ready for negotiation with labour.”
Presidential directive
Idris assured of the President’s readiness to accept the committee’s resolutions, adding that “The President is determined to go with what the committee has said and he’s also looking at the welfare of Nigerians.
“The government is not against or opponent of labour discussions; the government is not an opponent of wage increase but what is there is that government is always there to ensure that there is a balance between what government pronouncement is and what the realities are on the ground.
“And therefore, we will work assiduously to ensure that whatever promises the government makes are promises that will be kept. That is the idea of this meeting.”
Furthermore, he said President Tinubu had directed the government representatives to work collectively with the organised private sector and the sub-nationals to achieve a new affordable wage award for Nigerians.
Idris explained, “The President has given a marching order that all those who have negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government and all those who are representatives of organised private sectors, the sub-nationals to come together to have a new wage that is affordable, sustainable and that is also realistic for Nigerians.
“The wage is not just that of the Federal Government as I mentioned earlier, the sub-nationals are involved, the organised private sector is involved; it was labour that stepped out during that procedure. Now we have come back to the negotiation table.”
The minister assured that all hands would be on deck to present a new minimum wage for Nigerians in one week.
“All of us will work together assiduously within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable and also realistic,” Idris said.
Meanwhile, Labour said it had “relaxed” its strike for one week to enable fruitful negotiations with the Federal Government on minimum wage.
The NLC and TUC announced this in a communique on Tuesday, after a joint National Executive Council meeting.
The suspension of the strike followed a six-hour meeting between the leadership of organised labour and the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday night.
The Federal Government had expressed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to raising the N60,000 offered as the minimum wage.
The agreement stated, “The President of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is committed to establishing a National Minimum Wage higher than N60,000; and the Tripartite Committee will convene daily for the next week to finalise an agreeable National Minimum Wage.”
The organised labour also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.”
The resolutions were signed on behalf of the Federal Government by the information, Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
In its statement announcing the strike suspension, the unions said there was a greater need to create the right ambience for negotiation to continue unhindered.
“The indefinite nationwide strike action is, therefore, relaxed for one week from today (Tuesday) to allow the Federal Government to commit to a concrete and acceptable National Minimum Wage; take definitive steps to reverse the electricity tariff hike back to N66/kwh and abolish the discriminatory classification of electricity consumers into bands,” the unions said.
Labour also mandated its affiliate unions and state councils, to return to their respective workplaces immediately
On the issue of the electricity tariff, the unions said they were deeply disappointed by the government’s silence and lack of concrete action regarding the reversal of the electricity tariff hike and the abolition of the apartheid classification of electricity consumers into Bands.
“The NEC reaffirms that these issues are critical to alleviating the financial burden on Nigerian workers and the general populace. The electricity tariff hike and discriminatory Band classification remain unacceptable and must be addressed alongside the wage increase.”
In their position on the minimum wage, opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to implement a new minimum wage of more than N100,000 to assuage organised labour.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, lamented the condition of the average Nigerian worker, stressing that the failure to pay a living wage is a constitutional breach.
He said, “In Nigeria today, any wage below $200 (N298,800) is ridiculous. The Nigerian worker is heavily underpaid and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens. Failure to pay a living wage is unconstitutional as the welfare of citizens is neglected.
“Public and government officers should have their monthly wages while we consider the hourly rate for private or casual employees. The earlier the government concludes this matter with labour unions, the better.”
Like Chinda, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and the lawmaker representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, Oluwole Oke, also made a case for the payment of a living wage which he said would enable the majority of Nigerians to cope, given the current economic realities.
“The minimum wage the Federal Government should pay should be N120,000. I say this because wage increase has its linkages, effects and consequences. Nigerian workers deserve living wages,’’ he argued.
Not unaware of the challenges his proposal would attract, Oluwole who chairs the House Committee on Judiciary, urged the private sector to be taken into consideration.
“We need to look at productivity in the private sector. Would the private sector that feeds the government survive? We have a serious issue at hand,” he added.
Asked what is good enough to count as a living wage, the lawmaker representing Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory, Chinedu Obika said, “N150,000 based on the current reality.”
Obika, a member of the Labour Party, further urged the Federal Government to consider the inflation rate in the past few years, when negotiating the new minimum wage for the workers.
In a bid to resolve the impasse on the minimum wage, the Senator representing Abia North District, Orji Kalu, has proposed a new minimum wage of N90,000.
Speaking during a brief plenary session on Tuesday, Kalu said a new wage in the region of N90,000 may be enough for workers to return to their duty posts.
Following a motion moved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment, Diket Plang, Kalu urged the Senate to prevail on both parties to reach an agreement in the interest of the nation.
While calling for an end to the standoff, Kalu described the complete shutdown of the power grid by the labour unions as a “daring move” which should not have happened.
He said, “Sixty thousand might sound very good but let the entire Senate see how we can persuade both labour and the Federal Government to agree between N75,000 and N90,000
“If you go by N90,000, it means in the last five years in which this law (N30,000) was made, it means if you divide 200 per cent of N90,000 by 5, it will give you 40 per cent. The food inflation, purchasing parity and other things you have in the market are around 32 per cent to 33 per cent. So, labour should be very happy with what we are doing.
“Let us send a Senate delegation to the Federal Government and Labour with the proposal of N90,000 and all the parties should agree to that.”
The lawmaker expressed dismay over the shutting down of the nation’s power grid by the unions as part of their demands for improved wages.
“Pulling down the national grid is not an easy job and it might take up to three to four days for it to come up. Shutting down and starting a national grid is a problem.
“The Federal Government and the Labour should be cautioned to agree. Though, it’s going to be difficult for the private sector to pay, they must manage,” he said.
On his part, Senator Ali Ndume urged the Senate to collaborate with the executive arm to sponsor a bill on a new wage. to address the situation.
Also speaking, former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan urged his colleagues to be mindful of the value of the naira, noting that a new minimum wage may not have much impact on the standard of living of Nigerians.
He insisted that emphasis should be paid on strengthening the value of the naira adding that the new minimum wage will be useless if the naira continues to depreciate.
“If it is N200 to a dollar, the impact will be more on the entire Nigerians, both the employed and the non employed”, Lawan stated.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said though it was heartwarming that the strike had been suspended, the conduct of the unionists, he said, deserved condemnation.
“One of such excesses was the shutdown of the national grid which is more of an economic sabotage than agitation for a new minimum wage.
“Also, disruption or prevention of students from writing their West African School Certificate Examination by some labour unionists during the strike was bad because the examination is not organised by Nigeria but by West African Countries,” he said.
He also condemned the disruption of Hajj flights by the unionists, saying such a development must not occur again.
Weighing in on the matter, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, noted that Nigeria’s level of productivity cannot support the N494,000 minimum wage organised labour is demanding.
Moghalu disclosed this on his official X handle on Tuesday.
Moghalu said the demand is deserving but not realistic and therefore recommended a minimum wage of N75,000 to N100,000.
“In the debates on the national wage in Nigeria, we miss the fundamental point: there is little or no productivity in the economy,” he said.
“If we had a truly productive economy, there is no reason we can’t have the kind of minimum wage of N400k or N500K that Labour wants. But we can’t, because the level of productivity in the economy cannot support it. Remember, the minimum wage is not just about government salaries.
“There are not more than 2 million, at most 3m civil servants in Nigeria. It is even more about what is paid in the private sector to household staff, etc.
“All of this is why, all things considered, including avoiding a minimum wage that multiplies already ravaging inflation (assuming such a wage can even be paid), I recommend a minimum wage of between N75,000 and N100,000.”
He further explained that productivity can be achieved by human capital development and electricity, amongst others.
“In fact, speaking about productivity, how productive is an average Nigerian worker? How skilled is he or she, and thus how much value does he or she create?
“I know we are all upset at our insensitive political class, who do not care about the masses and only for themselves. But the economics of it all is far more complex.
“Sadly, it is quite obvious that the political will to reduce the waste in governance does not exist.
“Human capital development, skills that create value addition, which is economically quantifiable. Wealth creation and profitability increase. Wages go up naturally and of course, the almighty electricity,’’ he stated.
Source: The punch
The Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Sunday Dare, says the Presidency will stand by the Nigerian Military’s position that there was never a coup attempt in Nigeria.
According to Naija News, on October 18, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had released a statement describing as false and misleading the reports online that alleged that activities to mark the 65th independence anniversary of Nigeria were cancelled over an attempted coup plot.
The rumours of a coup intensified further after President Tinubu sacked the Service Chiefs.
In an interview with TVC on Tuesday, Dare said the Presidency will stick to the narrative of the Nigerian Military that there was no coup attempt in Nigeria.
According to him, the presidency will only change its position when the military says otherwise, because the military is constitutionally empowered to secure the country.
He said, “We are going to stick to the narrative of the military because they are the ones constitutionally empowered to secure this country. They are given the power, arms and ammunition as the intelligence power.
“So when the military says these are the reasons why we have this development, we are going to stay with that narrative because that is the brief that is out there. Until the military comes with a different narrative, we are going to stay with that narrative. On some military being retained, there is a need to have institutional memory and maintain a balance and this decision was not taken on a flip for the person that was retained.”
In a significant turn of events, the military has taken decisive action by arresting a managing director linked to a burgeoning coup plot.
This strategic move comes amid an extensive investigation into the financial resources allegedly earmarked to support the coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu.
As the situation unfolds, there are growing concerns regarding the potential involvement of various stakeholders in this conspiracy.
Military investigators probing an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are reportedly grilling a Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South South region, according to The PUNCH.
BREAKING: Fresh Twist As Ex-Governor Sylva Breaks Silence On Alleged Role In Coup Plot, What He Says
Two intelligence officers confirmed that the MD was arrested for allegedly transferring a huge sum of money to a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who was fingered as one of the financiers of the alleged plot to forcefully change the government.
According to reports, investigators believe the funds were meant to finance the coup.
“The MD (name withheld) transferred a huge sum of money to Sylva. Investigators are working on the theory that the fund transfer was connected to the coup. He is presently answering questions about what the money was meant for.”
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Former Bayelsa governor Sylva’s Abuja house was reportedly raided by investigators on Saturday, with military operatives arresting his younger brother, Paga, who is his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs and went away with his driver.
The former minister and All Progressives Congress chieftain was outside the country during the operation.
Sources with knowledge of the operation explained that he was planning to return to the country when he heard that the coup leaders had been arrested. He thus shelved his plan to return home.
“Sylva’s Abuja home was raided on Saturday, but he wasn’t around. His younger brother, Paga, who is the SA, Domestic, and the driver, were arrested. Investigators believe Sylva allegedly funded the coup plot. Sylva was abroad and was preparing to leave for Nigeria when he got wind of the arrest of the coup leaders. So, he stayed back.”
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, could not be reached for comments on Tuesday as they didn’t pick up calls from our reporter.
Gusau had, in a statement on October 4, said that 16 officers were detained for breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
“Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations,” the statement partly read.
However, online platform SaharaReporters claimed that the detained officers — ranging from the rank of Captain to Brigadier General —were being held by the Defence Intelligence Agency for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.
It also alleged that the officers were arrested at their homes across the country.
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Source: The Punch
Tension is palpable across the communities of Abuja following a foiled coup attempt, prompting authorities to intensify their efforts against those suspected of involvement in the plot.
In a significant development, members of the Nigerian Army executed a search operation at the Abuja residence of Timipre Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
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This raid is part of a broader investigation spearheaded by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) into the alleged conspiracy.
According to reports from SaharaReporters, this operation underscores the serious nature of the allegations flying around and the government’s commitment to unraveling the details behind this troubling incident. The atmosphere of uncertainty and concern in the capital seems to be growing as investigations unfold.
Multiple security sources confirmed to SaharaReporters on Tuesday that the army raid occurred at Sylva’s home in the Maitama area of Abuja.
According to insiders, a “special military team” carried out the operation after intelligence linked the “former South-South governor” to secret meetings allegedly held with some of the detained military officers.
“Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria,” one top source familiar with the development told SaharaReporters.
“He is the South-South former governor frequently mentioned in the case. His brother, named Paga, was picked up during the raid. The operation also extended to his Bayelsa residence.”
Another security insider said that while no official statement had been issued regarding the raid, the action was “not random” but “a direct response to intelligence linking certain political figures to the alleged plotters.”
This development comes amid growing tension within the armed forces following SaharaReporters’ exclusive report that at least 16 senior military officers had been detained incommunicado by the DIA over an alleged coup plot.
The detained officers, drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, have been held for over three weeks in an undisclosed Abuja facility under what sources described as “unusual and suspicious conditions.”
Family members told SaharaReporters they initially believed their relatives had been kidnapped, as there was no official communication from the military regarding their arrests.
“It’s been 18 days since those 16 officers were detained in an undisclosed location. At first, we thought our brother was kidnapped before finding out what transpired from his friend who works in the NSA office,” a family member had said.
Security analysts have questioned why the DIA, an intelligence agency under the Ministry of Defence, is spearheading the investigation instead of allowing each military service to handle its personnel internally, a move seen as “highly political.”
“If the military were truly conducting a disciplinary operation, over 10,000 cases could emerge. Why only 16 officers, and why hand them to the DIA?” one retired officer asked. “This smells of politics. There’s clearly more going on behind the scenes.”
Speculations are now rife that the alleged plot and subsequent arrests may have deeper political undertones, potentially involving some former office holders with ties to late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and a close ally of late Buhari, served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources between 2019 and 2023.
He was also the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 2023 Bayelsa election, which he lost to incumbent Governor Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
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The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service revealed that 15 people, comprising seven female adults, seven male adults, and four children, had been rescued with varying degrees of injury.
A two-storey building has collapsed in the Oyingbo area of Lagos, leaving an undisclosed number of people feared trapped.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, in a situation report, said that the agency received a distress call in the wee small hours of Monday.
Adeseye explained that the building located on 54, Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, had been marked ‘Distressed’ before it collapsed on the occupants.
She revealed that 15 people, comprising seven female adults, seven male adults, and four children, had been rescued with varying degrees of injury.
They were taken to the Federal Medical Center, Ebute Meta, and General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island.
She, however, said a rescue operation by the Sari Iganmu Fire Station of the LSFRS was ongoing.
“It is an ongoing rescue involving an existing two-storey building which has reportedly [been] marked distress before collapsing on the occupants.
“Fifteen adults (seven male adults, four female adults, and four children) have been rescued with varying degrees of injury and taken to Federal Medical Center, Ebute Meta, and General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island,” the statement partly read.
Building collapses in Nigeria are a lingering concern, especially in the rainy season.
The incident happened weeks after six people were rescued in September after a two-storey building collapsed on Modupeola Street, Mangoro, Alimosho, Lagos.
Scene of the collapse of a three-storey building at Alagomeji, in the Yaba area of Lagos State.
On September 13, one person was confirmed dead when a three-storey building in Alagomeji area of the state collapse.
Police commissioner Olohundare Jimoh has warned activist and politician Omoyele Sowore and others against protesting over demolitions in Lagos.
Jimoh gave the warning while addressing journalists in the Iyana-Oworo axis of the Third Mainland Bridge on Monday.
He said the Lagos police command had made massive deployments across the city to forestall any planned demonstrations that could lead to public disorder. He also mentioned that the command would not tolerate any attempt to block major highways or disrupt the peace currently being enjoyed in Lagos.
“We want to warn Sowore and his group to stay away from Lagos or face the full weight of the law. The Third Mainland Bridge is too vital to the Nigerian economy and the safety of lives and property for anyone to think of blocking it. Every day, thousands of people depend on that route for their livelihood and medical emergencies, ” Mr Jimoh said.
Jimoh said cops had been stationed at strategic points, including the Third Mainland Bridge, Maryland, Ojota, Gani Fawehinmi Park, Gbagada, Bariga, Lekki Toll Gate, and other areas to ensure peace and order.
“Anyone who wishes to organise a peaceful protest must follow laid-down procedures. What we have seen in recent times is not protest but attempts to disrupt public peace. Anyone who engages in such will be dealt with according to the law,” he said.
Following the recent demolition in Oworonshoki, Mr Jimoh defended the government’s action, describing the affected areas as illegal structures and criminal hideouts.
“Those areas were being used by criminals to launch attacks on innocent Nigerians. The government is justified in clearing them. Genuine residents have been compensated, and this was documented and covered by the media two days ago,” he said.
He accused some individuals of attempting to exploit the situation for political or criminal purposes, warning that the police would not allow anyone to use the guise of protest to cause mayhem.
“Anyone hiding under activism to cause chaos is complicit in a conspiracy to commit a crime; we will not permit that, ” he said.
The commissioner assured law-abiding residents of adequate protection, urging them to go about their daily activities without fear.
“Every Nigerian is entitled to protection, safety, and freedom of movement. We will continue to ensure that Lagos remains peaceful, but criminality under the cover of protest will not be tolerated,” Mr Jimoh said.
(NAN)
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday charged the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, to prioritise transparency and non-violence as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, saying credible polls remained the foundation of public trust and democratic stability.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja shortly after administering the oath of office on the new INEC boss, Tinubu said Amupitan’s appointment, confirmed by the Senate a week ago, was a mark of confidence in his competence and character by both the executive and legislative arms of government.
“I, therefore, urge you, Professor Amupitan, as you take on this assignment, to protect the integrity of our elections and the electoral process and the institutional capacity of INEC, and I wish you success on your first assignment in November 2025, which is the governorship election of Anambra state,” Tinubu said.
“As the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, your nomination and confirmation are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you,” Tinubu said, adding, “This marks the beginning of a challenging yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibilities with the highest level of integrity, dedication, and patriotism.”
The President emphasised that Nigeria’s democracy, which has lasted since 1999, had evolved through reforms, innovation, and lessons learned from past challenges.
“Our democracy has come a long way. We have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly our electoral system. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral system must be beyond reproach,” Tinubu noted.
President Tinubu added that while no electoral system was flawless, credibility and transparency at every stage, be it registration, campaigning, voting, and results collation, remained critical to sustaining public trust.
He said, “To maintain public trust in elections, electoral integrity must be protected, all aspects of the process from registration to campaigning, the media access, voting and counting should be transparent, non-violent and credible.
“Elections safeguard the people’s exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future.
“We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow.”
Tinubu urged Amupitan to prioritise transparency, inclusivity, and non-violence in future polls.
Shortly after the ceremony, Amupitan told State House correspondents that he would uphold the Constitution and engage all stakeholders in the pursuit of credible elections.
“I’ve just taken the oath of allegiance and the oath as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. I reaffirm my commitment to defend the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as they relate to the electoral system. Like the President said, I have been given a clear charge to ensure credible, fair, and free elections, and that I will ensure,” he said.
The new INEC boss said his leadership would prioritise collaboration with political parties, civil society organisations, and security agencies.
“No matter how well you design the system, success requires the cooperation of all stakeholders,” he said.
Amupitan succeeds Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who is the longest-serving INEC chairman yet, having overseen the commission since 2015.
He took the oath of office at 1:50 pm at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Professor of Law at the University of Jos, was confirmed by the Senate on October 16, 2025, following his endorsement by the National Council of State.
The National Council of State had approved his nomination on October 9, two days after Yakubu’s exit.
Since the 1993 cycle, Nigeria’s election umpires have come from a handful of zones. The South-East produced Prof. Humphrey Nwosu from Anambra, who supervised the famed June 12, 1993 polls, and later Prof. Maurice Iwu (Imo), who oversaw the 2007 polls.
The South-South produced multiple chairpersons during the transition years. These include Okon Uya from Cross River, who served briefly after June 12, Sumner Dagogo-Jack from Rivers, who served as NECON chairman under Abacha, Justice Ephraim Akpata from Edo State, who oversaw the 1999 transition and Dr. Abel Guobadia (Edo) in 2003.
From 2010, the tide tilted to the North with the appointment of Prof. Attahiru Jega from Kano State (North-West), who oversaw the 2011 and 2015 elections and is widely credited with restoring confidence after the 2007 cycle.
He was succeeded by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu from Bauchi (North-East), who conducted the 2019 and 2023 polls, and expanded the use of biometrics and other forms of tech.
Amupitan is the first INEC chief from Kogi, North-Central.
Upon assuming duties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Amupitan vowed to restore credibility and public confidence in the country’s electoral system, declaring his appointment as a “divine” call to serve the nation.
Speaking during his first official meeting with the commission’s directors, he stressed that fulfilling the commission’s mandate would depend on teamwork, discipline, and integrity within the organisation.
The INEC chairman stated that his mission was to conduct free, fair, and credible elections while strengthening democratic values across the country.
“Our mandate is clear, and what is it? To deliver free, fair, and credible elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people. To achieve this, we must work together as a team,” he stated.
Addressing INEC staff and directors, the university don pledged to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
“As we mark the beginning of the new chapter, I want to assure you of my commitment to upholding the highest standard of integrity, transparency, and discipline in all our operations,” he said.
The INEC chairman described the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election as a defining moment for the commission.
“The upcoming Anambra state governorship election is not just another electoral exercise. It represents a pivot opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to free, fair, and credible elections,” he declared.
“The eyes of the nation are upon us, and it is our duty to rise to that occasion.
“Credibility in our election is paramount, and we must ensure that every voter feels confident that their vote will count. Because that is a constitutional task, and let’s restore back the confidence of every voter that whenever there is an election, their vote will count,” Amupitan added.
While promising to make staff welfare a central part of his agenda, he acknowledged that the commission’s workforce played a vital role in ensuring credible elections.
“For me, staff welfare is going to be my priority. We are going to be expecting so much from you, so your welfare is going to be a priority.
“We’ll work assiduously and tirelessly to ensure that our working conditions are conducive and that our staff are equipped with the necessary resources to excel,” the new INEC chairman assured staff members.
Amupitan, accompanied by his wife, children, and senior officials from the University of Jos, expressed gratitude to his academic colleagues, who celebrated his appointment.
“I was told that the whole university got shut down out of excitement. One of theirs is now given this very herculean and important responsibility of heading this commission at this time,” he said.
Despite the weight of his new responsibilities, he said he was ready for the challenge.
“The places I’ve gone to, including some national commissioners, they were saying, ‘I don’t envy you.’ But let me say that I am excited about the journey ahead.
“Together, let us uphold the values of democracy and work tirelessly for the credibility of our elections,” he said.
He described his appointment as part of a divine plan.
“Maybe if I had a choice, I would say I would not come here. But from all the indications, I could see that God is moving in this country, and my coming is divine.
“If God says go, who are you to say ‘I’m not going?’ I’m here because I have a role to play to ensure that a new Nigeria is birthed. And of course, you know, INEC has a very, very important role to play in this quest.
“God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he concluded.
Earlier, the Acting Chairman of INEC, May Agbamuche-Mbu, formally transferred the reins to Amupitan.
Congratulating Amupitan on his appointment and swearing-in, she noted that his emergence was “a recognition of your distinguished record as a legal scholar, administrator, and patriot, but also a call to national service of the highest order.”
She reminded him that he was assuming office at a “most crucial time” as the commission prepared for the Anambra governorship election, adding that four National Commissioners were already in the state on a readiness assessment visit.
Acknowledging the enormity of the task ahead, she said, “Elections are the lifeblood of democracy, and the expectations of Nigerians have never been higher.
“However, you are not walking into an empty field. You are stepping onto the firm and fertile ground laid by your predecessor, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.”
Agbamuche-Mbu praised Yakubu’s leadership for introducing “landmark innovations, from the BVAS and IReV to the strengthening of institutional transparency and voter confidence.”
Describing the assignment before Amupitan as “a herculean national service,” she expressed confidence in his capacity to lead.
“(It’s) one that demands sacrifice, patience, and unflinching dedication, but I have no doubt that you are equal to the task,” the national commissioner noted.
She presented the handover notes to Amupitan, saying, “May your tenure be marked by wisdom, integrity, innovation, and enduring impact.”
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