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The National Council of State on Thursday gave its unanimous approval to the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented the nomination of Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, to the council during its meeting in Abuja, following the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure, which began in 2015 and ended in October 2025.
President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan, who hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, is the first person from the North-Central state to be nominated for the nation’s top electoral position.
He described the nominee as “a thoroughbred scholar and an apolitical individual with an unblemished record of service.”
According to the President, the nomination aligns with his administration’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring credible elections.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, who spoke during the session, praised the President’s choice, describing Professor Amupitan as “a man of integrity whose scholarship and leadership in academia stand out.”
Following the unanimous endorsement by members of the council—which includes former presidents, governors, and key government officials—President Tinubu is expected to forward the nominee’s name to the Senate for confirmation, in line with constitutional provisions.
Amupitan, 58, 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.
A distinguished academic and Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, he specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan began his educational journey in Ilorin, where he attended Kwara State Polytechnic between 1982 and 1984 before proceeding to the University of Jos for his LL.B, which he obtained in 1987. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and later earned an LL.M in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Law in 2007, both from the University of Jos.
He began his academic career in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. Over the years, he has held several key administrative and academic positions, including 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).
Beyond the university system, Amupitan has served as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, and was part of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies as well as the Council of Legal Education between 2008 and 2014.
He has authored several notable law texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013), and An Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.
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