Abuja: A non-political group, the Arewa Grassroots Leaders Assembly (AGLA), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain its momentum on electoral reforms and continue to uphold democratic principles.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the National President of AGLA, Mr. Onogu Collins, made this appeal during a solidarity march at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja. Collins, who led a delegation from 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), described the assembly as a ‘protest of encouragement’ for the progress INEC has achieved since Prof. Joash Amupitan became Chairman in October 2025.
Collins highlighted that under Amupitan’s leadership, INEC has successfully conducted major elections in Anambra, Kano, and Rivers states, along with the FCT Area Council elections. These elections were noted by domestic and international observers for being peaceful, transparent, technologically advanced, and well-coordinated. He emphasized the importance of credible elections in Nigeria, attributing this to the alignment of leadership with institutional integrity.
Moreover, Collins praised the improvements in logistics, timely delivery of election materials, and enhanced security arrangements during these elections. He also commended INEC’s efforts in including Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), engaging youth as ad hoc staff, and maintaining transparent stakeholder communications.
Collins acknowledged the technological advancements implemented under the current leadership, particularly the enhancements to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which have improved result upload stability and speed. He encouraged the Commission to continue investing in digital transparency tools to bolster public confidence in the electoral process.
He further urged Amupitan to consolidate these gains, strengthen result management systems, and expand technology deployment. Collins called for continuous staff training, stakeholder collaboration, and the establishment of a backup network to ensure smooth transmission and collation of results in areas with limited network coverage.
INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, expressed gratitude to the AGLA members for acknowledging the Commission’s achievements under Amupitan’s leadership. He assured Nigerians that INEC would remain committed to delivering fair, free, inclusive, and credible elections consistently. Zuru reiterated the continuity in leadership and the ongoing technological advancements, urging for the support and cooperation of Nigerians to ensure the thriving of democracy.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the marchers displayed placards with messages such as ‘Our votes must always count’, ‘Digital transparency is the future of election’, and ‘Peaceful elections are possible’, signifying their support for INEC’s reforms and the call for continuous improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process.