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 to hold in Lagos on October 8, 2026.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Chairman of the 2026 Conference Planning Committee and Deputy President of GOCOP, 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,” will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, 38–40 Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
According to Iyanda, the choice of Amupitan as keynote speaker is significant as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, with growing attention on electoral credibility, public trust in institutions and the responsibilities of stakeholders in the democratic process.
Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), leads the electoral commission responsible for conducting the 2027 elections. His areas of academic expertise include the law of evidence, corporate governance, company law, privatisation law and electoral jurisprudence.
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Before his appointment as INEC Chairman in October 2025, he held various academic and administrative positions at the University of Jos, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and Dean of the Faculty of Law.
Iyanda said Amupitan’s legal scholarship, administrative experience and responsibility for organising the 2027 elections placed him in a strong position to address the conference.
“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,” he said.
He added that the conference would examine the preparations for the elections, the challenges ahead and the collective responsibilities of stakeholders in ensuring a credible electoral process.
The GOCOP conference will explore the roles of electoral institutions, political parties, candidates, the media, civil society organisations and voters in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
Discussions will also centre on public confidence in elections, access to credible information, transparency and the conduct of institutions and groups whose actions could affect electoral integrity.
The Guild previously engaged INEC ahead of the 2023 general elections. In 2022, the then INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, delivered the keynote address titled “2023 Elections: Managing the Process for Credible Outcome.”
Agbakoba to Chair Conference
The 2026 conference will be chaired by Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and a prominent human rights advocate.
Agbakoba has participated in Nigeria’s democracy and governance debates for decades, with interests spanning constitutional reform, human rights, electoral reform, public policy and the rule of law.
Iyanda said Agbakoba’s experience made him well suited to chair discussions on trust, institutions and shared responsibility in the democratic process.
The event marks the 10th edition of GOCOP’s annual conference and will also provide an opportunity for online publishers to assess their role in promoting accurate, fair and credible information ahead of the 2027 elections.