The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The decision came during Thursday’s meeting of the Council held at the State House, Abuja, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who presented Amupitan’s nomination to the body for consideration.
Professor Amupitan, a distinguished legal scholar and administrator, is set to replace Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who concluded his tenure in October 2025 after serving as INEC Chairman since 2015.
President Tinubu, while introducing the nominee, described Amupitan as a “man of exceptional intellect and integrity,” noting that his appointment would bring renewed professionalism and nonpartisanship to the electoral body. The President further highlighted that Amupitan is the first individual from Kogi State, in Nigeria’s North-Central geopolitical zone, to be nominated for the position.
Following deliberations, members of the Council of State unanimously endorsed the nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State lauded the choice, describing Amupitan as “a man of proven character, whose competence and fairness are beyond question.”
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will forward the nominee’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Profile of Professor Amupitan
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a renowned Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), where he also serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). He doubles as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A product of the University of Jos, Amupitan obtained his LLB in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He later earned his LLM in 1993 and PhD in 2007 from the same institution. His academic career began in 1989 after his National Youth Service with the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
He attained the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014, marking him as one of the country’s foremost legal minds.
Amupitan’s areas of expertise include Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. Over the years, he has served in several strategic academic and administrative positions, including Dean, Faculty of Law (2008–2014); Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014); and Head, Department of Public Law (2006–2008).
Outside the university system, he has contributed his expertise to both public and private sectors. He has served as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, member of the Council of Legal Education (2008–2014), and member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. He also previously sat on the board of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja, from 1996 to 2004.
A prolific author, Professor Amupitan has written several authoritative books on law, 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).
He is married and blessed with four children.
With his nomination now awaiting Senate confirmation, observers say Amupitan’s appointment could signal a new era of integrity, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s electoral process.
