By Amofokhai Williams
The National Council of State has given 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 Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure in October 2025.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name before the council at its meeting in Abuja on Thursday, describing him as a distinguished legal scholar and the first nominee from Kogi State in Nigeria’s North-Central region to be considered for the position.
The president added that Amupitan’s record of professionalism and non-partisanship made him a strong fit to lead the nation’s electoral body.
Council members reportedly endorsed the nomination unanimously, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commending Amupitan as “a man of integrity and intellect who will bring honour and discipline to the office.”
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu is expected to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for confirmation in the coming days.
READ ALSO: How Tinubu reacted to Yakubu’s exit as INEC Chairman
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan is a Professor of Law and currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, Plateau State.
He also serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
An alumnus of the University of Jos, where he earned his LLB, LLM, and PhD, Amupitan has been in academics since 1989 after completing his National Youth Service with the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014.
Throughout his career, Amupitan has held several leadership positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Head of Public Law (2006–2008), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014) at the University of Jos.
Beyond academics, he has served on several corporate and legal boards, including the Council of Legal Education, the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, Plateau State.
Amupitan is the author of several influential law texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
He is married and blessed with four children.
