By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi
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), following the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure in October 2025.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the decision of the Council on Amupitan’s appointment in a statement on Wednesday.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was said to have presented the nomination during the council’s meeting at the State House, described Professor Amupitan as an apolitical figure and the first person from Kogi State in the North-Central region to be nominated for the position.
Council members, including state governors and former heads of state, endorsed the President’s choice, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State praising Amupitan as “a man of integrity whose appointment would further strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.”
In accordance with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu is expected to 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, Amupitan, 58, is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he also serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). He is concurrently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A distinguished legal scholar and practitioner, Amupitan obtained his LL.B. from the University of Jos in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He later earned his LL.M. in 1993 and Ph.D. in 2007 from the same institution. His academic career began in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
He has held several notable positions at the University of Jos, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).
Beyond the university, Amupitan has contributed to national development through various public and private sector roles. He is a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a former member of the Council of Legal Education (2008–2014), and a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom. He also previously served on the board of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja.
A prolific author, Amupitan has written several authoritative texts in the field of law, 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, who became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014, is married with four children.
