Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to ensure that individuals with political affiliations — particularly spouses of politicians — are not appointed to sensitive positions within the commission.

Oshiomhole made the remark during Amupitan’s Senate screening, emphasizing that conflicts of interest can seriously undermine the credibility and neutrality of Nigeria’s electoral process.

“One last point, an experience we had in Edo State, because the Senate President said we should speak from our own experiences,” Oshiomhole said. “The chairman of a political party — one that is dying now — had his wife serving as a director or heading the ICT unit of INEC in the state.”

The lawmaker explained that such appointments blur the line between partisan politics and electoral administration, making room for potential manipulation.

“The husband, being the PDP chairman at the time, had his wife boasting that she could supply information that would help them deal with accreditation issues,” he alleged.

Oshiomhole therefore urged the new INEC leadership to establish clear ethical guidelines that prevent such conflicts of interest.

“Will you be able, as you have assured us, to make a policy that says if you are a spouse of a politician, you cannot be given a sensitive appointment? We must avoid turning INEC into a family affair,” he added.

He stressed that restoring public confidence in INEC requires firm measures to safeguard its independence from political influence.