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The National Council of State on Thursday gave unanimous approval to the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the end of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s term in October 2025.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting at State House, and described him as “a distinguished academic, a man of proven integrity, and an apolitical Nigerian whose competence and impartiality are beyond doubt.”
According to a House statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the President informed the House that Amupitan’s appointment was historic, as he would be the first person from Kogi State, in the North-Central region, to be nominated for INEC’s top post.
After deliberation, the Board gave unanimous support to the nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, speaking on behalf of the governors, praised Amupitan’s election, describing it as “a recognition of excellence, integrity and hard work.”
“Professor Amupitan has served Nigeria diligently in the academic and legal sectors. His deep understanding of governance and law will strengthen our electoral system and maintain the confidence of Nigerians in INEC,” said Governor Ododo.
The statement noted that President Tinubu, in line with constitutional provisions, will send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation in the coming days.
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Who is Professor Amupitan?
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan, 58, is a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, where he spent more than three decades as an academic.
He is also Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Amupitan holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Master of Laws (LLM), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law, all from the University of Jos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) since 2014, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatization Law.
He has served as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chair of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Chair of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008) at the University of Jos.
Outside of academia, he has contributed to the public service and private enterprise, serving on the boards of several institutions, including the Governing Board of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Legal Education Council, and Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, Plateau State.
He is also an accomplished writer, with acclaimed works such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008) and The Law of Evidence: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013).
“Professor Amupitan represents the combination of scholarship, patriotism and moral authority that the KPU needs at a critical moment in our democracy,” Onanuga added in his statement.
Amupitan is married and has four children.
