President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new INEC Chairman. The National Council of State has unanimously approved his nomination, pending Senate confirmation. The appointment marks a major transition in Nigeria’s electoral leadership as Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long tenure officially ends.
Council of State Endorses Professor Amupitan’s Appointment
In a statement released on Thursday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed that the National Council of State approved Tinubu’s nomination of Professor Amupitan. “In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening,” Onanuga said.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State described the nominee as “a man of integrity,” noting that his appointment represents the first time a candidate from Kogi, North-Central Nigeria, will head the electoral commission.
Who is Professor Joash Amupitan?
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a respected scholar of law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He earned his first degree in Law from the same university in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
He later obtained his LLM in 1993 and PhD in 2007 from the University of Jos. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the institution and the Pro-Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Amupitan became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014 and specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
Academic and Professional Achievements
Throughout his career, Professor Amupitan has held several leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law at the University of Jos.
Outside academia, he has served as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited, Riss Oil Limited, and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council.
He is also the author of several law books, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008) and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013).
Transition in INEC Leadership
Professor Amupitan, the new INEC chairman, replaces Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who led INEC from 2015 until the completion of his second tenure in 2025. Yakubu handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the most senior National Commissioner, who currently serves as Acting Chairperson.
Yakubu was first appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari and became one of Nigeria’s longest-serving electoral chiefs.
If confirmed by the Senate, Professor Amupitan will become the 13th substantive INEC Chair since independence in 1960.
Upcoming Electoral Challenges
Upon confirmation, Amupitan’s immediate tasks will include overseeing the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections in February 2026.
Observers believe his vast experience in governance and legal reforms will be crucial in strengthening electoral credibility and institutional transparency.
INEC Leadership Enters a New Era
With Professor Joash Amupitan’s appointment, President Tinubu signals a new phase in Nigeria’s electoral administration. His legal background and academic expertise position him to reform the commission and ensure transparent elections ahead of future polls.
