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), marking a new phase in Nigeria’s electoral leadership.
The announcement was made public through a statement on X by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
According to the statement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where members gave their full backing to the nomination.
Amupitan’s appointment follows the completion of a decade-long tenure by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who has led the Commission since 2015.
President Tinubu noted during the meeting that the 58-year-old legal luminary is the first person from the North-Central region to be nominated for the top electoral post.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State reportedly praised the nominee, describing him as “a man of proven integrity and impeccable professional standing.”
The President is expected to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation in line with constitutional provisions.
Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan is a distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Jos, where he currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).
Elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014, he is widely recognised for his expertise in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
He earned his LL.B degree from the University of Jos in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar the following year.
Amupitan obtained his LL.M in 1993 and later a Ph.D. in Law from the same institution in 2007.
His academic journey at UNIJOS began in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
A seasoned academic and administrator, Amupitan has held several leadership positions within the university, including Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008), Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014).
Beyond academia, he serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State, and sits on the boards of notable institutions such as the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom.
A prolific author, Amupitan has written several authoritative 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).
Married with four children, the respected scholar’s elevation to the helm of INEC is expected to bring a blend of legal scholarship, integrity, and administrative acumen to the nation’s electoral process.
