The National Council of State has unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan, who hails from the North-Central region, to the Council to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to October 2025.
President Tinubu described the nominee as apolitical and of proven integrity, noting that he is the first person from Kogi State to be nominated for the position. The Council, comprising former Heads of State, Governors, and key national leaders, unanimously endorsed his nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State commended the choice, describing Professor Amupitan as a man of “impeccable character and competence.”
In line with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan, 58, is a distinguished academic and legal scholar. He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos and 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 obtained his LLB, LLM, and PhD, Amupitan was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014 and is widely respected for his expertise in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
His extensive academic leadership includes serving as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014) at the University of Jos.
Beyond academia, he has held several board appointments, including with Integrated Dairies Limited, the Council of Legal Education, and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. He is also the author of several widely cited legal texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.
