By Reportcircle Abuja
The same institutional strictness that governs Nigeria’s elections was forcefully transplanted into the financial heart of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, as the Commission’s Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), issued a stern warning to the leadership of the INEC Staff Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society: run members’ money with electoral-level discipline or face the consequences.
The message thundered across the hall at INEC Headquarters, Abuja, during the Society’s 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election of new officers, a gathering that fused accountability, remembrance, economic anxiety and internal democracy into one tense but orderly corporate exercise.
“Co-operative money is sacred trust, not executive property,” Amupitan declared, his words slicing through the room with unmistakable finality. “The executive is merely a trustee. Every naira must be traceable. Every decision must be justifiable.”
It was not a ceremonial speech. It was a warning shot.
Drawing a direct line between electoral integrity and financial transparency, the INEC boss warned that corruption even at co-operative level rots institutions from within.
He charged both outgoing and incoming executives to maintain open books, transparent transactions and discipline without compromise, stressing that mismanaging members’ savings would be treated as a betrayal, not a mistake.
As the hall prepared for the internal election that would determine the Society’s next leadership, Amupitan added another directive:
No bitterness, no factions, no winner-takes-all politics.
“You are one family,” he cautioned. “Do not allow electoral heat to destroy your unity.”
Earlier, the AGM opened on a solemn note as members rose for a minute of silence in honour of six colleagues lost within the year, a sobering reminder that beyond spreadsheets and loans, the Society carries human grief and economic vulnerability.
Presenting his stewardship report, Co-operative President Mr. Nenrot Gana painted a picture of survival under pressure. Inflation, shrinking purchasing power and limited resources defined the operating year, he said but the Society stayed afloat.
According to him, key achievements included:
Fast-tracked loan disbursements
Automation of financial transactions
Prompt settlement of retirees’ savings
Improved fund stability
Strengthened member confidence
He also announced a major consumer relief initiative: members can now shop at all SAHAD Stores across the city, expanding access to essential goods amid worsening living costs.
Partnerships with Samsung, LG and Thermocool remain active.
However, in a move signalling financial caution, no major loan disbursements will take place in January and February 2026, giving the Society breathing room to reorganise for a stronger fiscal reset.
In a pointed appeal, Gana urged INEC management to activate the Staff Housing provision in the Conditions of Service, warning that accommodation remains one of the most crushing burdens on staff welfare.
“Our loyalty is total,” he said. “But many of our members are bleeding under rent pressure.”
In a surprise technological pivot, Gana announced that future Co-operative elections will be conducted online via the Fuse Go App, a move designed to boost access, speed and credibility mirroring the national shift toward tech-driven electoral processes.
When voting finally began, it unfolded with discipline, speed and zero violence a quiet echo of the standards INEC enforces nationwide.
The results produced both certainty and renewal:
Nenrot Gana — Returned as President (Unopposed)
Agyo Ato Bala — Elected Vice President
Dr. Effiong E. Sunday — Secretary General (Unopposed)
Yahaya Mahmoud — Assistant Secretary (Unopposed)
Alali Fubara — Treasurer (Unopposed)
Onalo Mary Peace — Financial Secretary (Unopposed)
Ibrahim Adamu — Internal Auditor (Unopposed)
Adegbite Funmilayo — Public Relations Officer
Pius Martha — Welfare Officer
The election closed without protests, disputes or delays—a rare luxury in Nigeria’s political culture.
As the final curtains fell on the AGM, Christmas and New Year wishes were exchanged but the underlying challenge remained unmistakable:
Professor Amupitan’s warning still hung in the air: handle members’ savings with the same seriousness as national ballots or risk unraveling the trust that binds the institution together.
In a season of economic strain, where salaries stagger behind prices and survival rests heavily on loans and savings, the message was clear:
For INEC staff, the co-operative is no longer just a financial cushion it is a frontline institution of trust.
