LAGOS — The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, will deliver the keynote address at the 10th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, scheduled for Thursday, October 8, 2026 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The announcement was made on Monday, September 14, by Chairman of the 2026 Conference Planning Committee and GOCOP Deputy President, Mr. Olumide Iyanda, in a statement issued by the Guild’s Publicity Secretary, Ms. Kemi Yesufu.
The conference, themed “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities,” comes at a time of growing public focus on the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Iyanda said the choice of Prof. Amupitan is deliberate, noting that as the head of the institution responsible for conducting the 2027 polls, the INEC Chairman is central to conversations about trust in institutions and the role of other stakeholders.
“The 2027 elections will be about more than what INEC does on election day. The credibility of the process will depend on the conduct of institutions, political parties and candidates, the media, civil society and the electorate,” Iyanda said. “We expect his keynote address to provide important insight into the preparations for 2027, the challenges ahead and what other stakeholders must do to support a credible process.”
Prof. Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was appointed INEC Chairman in October 2025. His areas of scholarship include electoral jurisprudence, corporate governance, and the law of evidence. Before his appointment, he served as Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos.
The conference will examine the responsibilities of electoral institutions, political parties, candidates, the media, civil society and voters in ensuring credible elections. Discussions will also focus on public confidence, access to credible information, and transparency in the electoral process.
Chairing the 2026 conference will be human rights lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN. Iyanda said Agbakoba’s decades of work on constitutional reform, electoral reform and the rule of law make him well suited to lead discussions on institutional trust and shared responsibility.
This year’s event marks GOCOP’s 10th annual conference. The Guild comprises 127 online publications across Nigeria and works to promote professional standards, business sustainability and ethical digital journalism.
GOCOP had a similar engagement with INEC ahead of the 2023 elections, when then INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, delivered the keynote titled “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome.”
Iyanda added that the October conference will also provide online publishers an opportunity to reflect on their responsibility to provide accurate, fair and credible information as political activities intensify ahead of 2027.
