ABUJA/Nigeria: Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has nominated 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.
The nomination, which came during the National Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, received unanimous approval from council members after President Tinubu presented Amupitan as the preferred candidate from the North-Central geopolitical zone.
President Tinubu said Amupitan’s nomination was significant as he is the first person from Kogi State to be considered for the position, noting that he is an apolitical and highly principled legal scholar. The President described the professor as a man with an impeccable record of service and academic distinction.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, who spoke at the meeting, hailed the appointment, describing Professor Amupitan as “a man of integrity and deep commitment to national development.” According to him, the nominee’s reputation for fairness and scholarship will further strengthen the credibility of the nation’s electoral system.
In compliance with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will transmit Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation in the coming days.
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan, 58, is a distinguished academic and lawyer. A Professor of Law at the University of Jos, he currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the institution, while also holding the position of Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
An alumnus of the University of Jos, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
His academic journey began after his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation between 1988 and 1989. Over the years, he has held several key positions at the University of Jos, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).
Beyond the university system, Professor Amupitan has contributed to national development through various public and private sector roles. He has served as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education between 2008 and 2014.
A prolific author, he has written several authoritative texts, 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).
Married and blessed with four children, Professor Amupitan is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s foremost legal scholars whose expertise and integrity are expected to bring renewed confidence to the nation’s electoral process. (Information and Strategy)
