Read Also: Cameroon’s Paul Biya re-elected for 8th term with
over 53% of vote

Also, Amupitan vowed to curb the rising tide of pre-election
litigations “that have long burdened Nigeria’s electoral process”.

Speaking at the 56th Annual National Conference of the
Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) held at the University of Abuja on
Monday, Prof. Amupitan declared that the era of “endless courtroom battles”
over party primaries and internal disputes was coming to an end.

The INEC boss, who assumed office barely a week ago after
being sworn in by President Bola Tinubu, described the current situation—where
over 1,000 pre-election cases were filed before the 2023 general elections—as
unsustainable.

“That is not democracy; that is litigation by other means,”
he said firmly.

According to him, lasting reform must begin with the
political parties themselves. “If political parties obey their constitutions,
respect the Electoral Act, and align with the Nigerian Constitution, the
avalanche of pre-election cases will collapse,” Amupitan stated.

He emphasized that his goal is to make the law “an
instrument of change, not chaos.”

“My desire is that when we get the law right, even the
losers will be the first to congratulate the winner. That is when our democracy
can be said to have matured,” he added.

Calling for stronger legislation, Prof. Amupitan urged the
National Assembly to strengthen electoral laws to ensure transparency and
internal democracy within political parties.

While acknowledging that reducing election-related cases
might not please everyone, he insisted that restoring public confidence must
take precedence.

“We cannot continue to allow the courts to determine our
elections. Elections must be won at the polling units, not in the courtroom,”
he said.

Addressing law teachers, students, and jurists at the event
themed “Law, National Development and Economic Sustainability in a Globalised
World,” the INEC Chairman urged legal scholars to view law as a tool for
justice and reform rather than personal gain.

“As law teachers, we must lead by example—building a
generation that values integrity over influence and justice over convenience,”
he said.

Prof. Amupitan attended the event alongside his wife, Prof.
Yemisi Amupitan, also a noted legal scholar and member of the NALT Board of
Trustees.

Earlier, NALT President and Dean of Law at the University of
Ibadan, Prof. John Akintayo, lauded the INEC Chairman’s reform agenda, noting
that “a nation’s progress depends on how its laws anticipate, adapt to, and
shape change.”

Conference Chairman, Prof. Uwakwe Abugu of the University of
Abuja, added that this year’s conference would spotlight key national issues
including food security, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the need
for legal reforms to meet modern governance challenges.