….Tinubu to forward nomination to Senate for confirmation
BY TONY UDOKA
The National Council of State on Thursday gave unanimous approval to the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served from 2015 until October 2025.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who presented Amupitan’s name to the council, described him as a distinguished scholar, legal luminary, and administrator of unimpeachable integrity.
He noted that Amupitan, who hails from Kogi State in the North-Central zone, is the first person from the state to be nominated for the INEC top job and is known to be apolitical.
According to a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said the appointment was guided by merit and regional balance in line with the Federal Character principle.
The Council, comprising former presidents, state governors, and top federal officials, reportedly endorsed the nomination unanimously. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State commended the choice, describing Professor Amupitan as “a man of character and competence who has built his career on integrity and scholarship.”
Following the Council’s approval, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation, in line with constitutional requirements.
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan, 58, is a seasoned academic and accomplished legal practitioner. He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A professor of law at the University of Jos, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. His academic and professional career spans over three decades, beginning in 1989 after his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
He obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Jos in 1987, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, and later earned a Master of Laws (LLM) in 1993 and a PhD in 2007 from the same university.
Amupitan’s academic leadership includes serving as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014).
Beyond the university, Amupitan has made significant contributions to public service and corporate governance. He has served as a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008–2014), and a board member of several organisations including Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, and Riss Oil Limited, Abuja.
He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s foremost legal minds.
Professor Amupitan is also a prolific author with several influential books to his credit, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013), and An Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014). His works are widely referenced in Nigerian law faculties and courtrooms alike.
He is married and blessed with four children.
With his appointment awaiting Senate confirmation, political analysts say Amupitan’s blend of academic rigor, administrative experience, and legal expertise could bring a fresh approach to Nigeria’s electoral management. If confirmed, he will be tasked with strengthening the credibility and transparency of elections in the country, a challenge that has tested successive INEC chairmen since 1999.
President Tinubu’s nomination of a non-partisan scholar is seen by many as a strategic step toward restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.