Council of State approves Professor Amupitan as new INEC Chairman

By Isaac Joseph Inyang

The National Council of State on Thursday approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the expiration of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure in October 2025.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented the nomination during the Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, describing Amupitan as a seasoned scholar and an apolitical figure of integrity.

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The Council unanimously endorsed the appointment, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commending the President’s choice and describing the nominee as “a man of high character and competence.” In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Professor Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A Professor of Law at the University of Jos, he currently serves as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).

He obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees in Law from the University of Jos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.

Before his current role, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law at the University of Jos.

Beyond academia, Amupitan has served on several boards, including the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education. He has also contributed significantly to corporate governance discourse in Nigeria through publications such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria.