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).
The approval followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presentation of Amupitan’s nomination to the council during its meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
Professor Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Professor of Law from Kogi State in the North-Central region, is to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.
President Tinubu noted that Amupitan’s nomination marks the first time an individual from Kogi State has been put forward for the position, describing him as “a non-partisan professional of impeccable integrity.”
Council members endorsed the nomination unanimously. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State praised Amupitan’s character, calling him “a man of integrity and excellence.”
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will now 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, currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, where he also lectures in law. He is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
A renowned legal scholar, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014.
He holds an LL.B and LL.M from the University of Jos, where he also obtained his Ph.D. in Law in 2007. Over his distinguished academic career, he has served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law.
Outside academia, Amupitan has served on several boards and professional councils, including the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education. He has also authored several influential legal texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles, Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria, and Principles of Company Law.
He is married and blessed with four children.