Tinubu’s nominee, a law professor from Kogi State, becomes the first North-Central appointee to lead Nigeria’s electoral body.
The National Council of State has unanimously approved 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 presented Amupitan’s nomination to the council during its meeting at the State House, describing him as an accomplished scholar and an apolitical figure. The council endorsed the nomination without objection.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State commended the nominee, describing him as a man of integrity whose experience and reputation would strengthen the electoral process.
According to the presidency, Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, becomes the first person from the North-Central region to be nominated for the top electoral position. His nomination will be forwarded to the Senate for screening in accordance with constitutional provisions.
A Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan currently serves as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and Pro-Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State. He specialises in Company Law, Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan began his academic journey at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, before earning his LL.B and LL.M from the University of Jos, where he also obtained his Ph.D in 2007. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and has taught at the University of Jos since 1989.
Amupitan has held several academic and administrative positions, 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 academia, he has served on several boards, including the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, the Council of Legal Education, and Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom.
The legal scholar is also the author of several books, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
Professor Amupitan is married with four children.
Political observers say the Council’s unanimous approval of Amupitan’s nomination signals President Tinubu’s intention to restore confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process through a candidate perceived as professional and nonpartisan. However, the coming Senate screening and future elections will serve as the true test of his ability to sustain transparency, independence, and public trust in the nation’s electoral body.
