Eid-el-Kabir: INEC chairman charges staff on sacrifice, integrity

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has urged the Commission’s staff to uphold the highest levels of professionalism, sacrifice, and integrity as Muslims across the country celebrate the 2026 Eid-el-Kabir festival.

Amupitan gave the charge in his 2026 Eid-el-Kabir message issued on Wednesday.

He congratulated Muslim staff members of the commission and described the festival as a period of reflection on obedience, selflessness and devotion.

“As the Muslim Ummah celebrates this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, I extend my warmest felicitations to all our Muslim colleagues within the Commission,” he said.

According to him, the season represents “the timeless virtues of absolute obedience, selflessness, and supreme sacrifice,” adding that it also calls for a deeper commitment to higher principles above personal comfort.

The INEC chairman said the values associated with Eid-el-Kabir align with the responsibilities of election managers, stressing that the task of managing Nigeria’s democracy demands dedication and discipline.

“For us as election managers, the essence of this festival resonates with a very clear, professional urgency.

“The institutional assignment committed to our care by the Nigerian people requires an unmatched level of personal sacrifice and steadfastness.

“Managing our democracy is a high-stakes, around-the-clock duty that frequently demands long hours away from our families and comfort zones,” he said.

Amupitan added that despite the challenges, staff members of the commission must remain committed to constitutional and legal provisions guiding the electoral process.

“Just as the patriarch Abraham demonstrated unflinching obedience to a higher call, we too must remain resolutely compliant with the constitutional guardrails, the Electoral Act, and our administrative codes of conduct,” he stated.

The INEC chairman also noted that the commission was at a critical operational stage following its recent field engagements and readiness assessments in Ekiti State ahead of upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and preparations for the 2027 general elections.

He stated, “This year’s celebration meets the Commission at a vital operational turning point.

“Following our highly successful field engagements and readiness assessments in Ekiti, we are now on the immediate frontline of critical off-cycle governorship polls, even as we systematically consolidate our frameworks for the 2027 General Election.”

He stressed that the lessons of Eid-el-Kabir should guide the commission’s operations, especially in the areas of compliance, precision and execution.

“The lessons of Eid-el-Kabir must therefore serve as the bedrock of our current deployment strategies.

“Compliance, precision, and surgical execution are non-negotiable standards as we work to eliminate logistical friction and secure the absolute trust of the electorate,” Amupitan said.

Reaffirming his commitment to the welfare of staff, the INEC chairman assured workers that the commission’s leadership would continue to strengthen welfare packages and institutional support.

“I must reinforce my unwavering pledge to you: your welfare remains the cornerstone of my leadership agenda.

“We are working assiduously to ensure that your dedication on the field is met with the robust welfare packages, security protections, and institutional backing you richly deserve,” he said.

Amupitan further urged staff members to use the festive period to renew their commitment to national service and the integrity of the electoral process.

“As you share the blessings of this season with your loved ones and the underprivileged, let us re-consecrate our hands to the service of our nation.

“Let our collective sacrifices build an electoral umpire that remains completely beyond reproach, fiercely independent, and a source of enduring pride for all Nigerians,” he said.

Amupitan wished Nigerians and members of staff of the commission a peaceful Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

“I wish you all a peaceful, rewarding, and joyful celebration. Barkah da Sallah. God bless our dedicated staff, God bless INEC, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.