President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), a renowned legal expert and academic, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pending Senate confirmation.
The National Council of State unanimously approved Amupitan’s nomination on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced the development, stating that the appointment follows the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure, which began in 2015 and ended in October 2025. President Tinubu described Amupitan as an apolitical figure and noted that he is the first person from Kogi State, in the North-Central region, to be nominated for the position. Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo commended Amupitan as “a man of integrity.”
In accordance with the Constitution, Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation. Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A Professor of Law at the University of Jos, he serves as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and is Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Amupitan holds LLM (1993) and PhD (2007) degrees from the University of Jos. He began his academic career in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. Amupitan has served in several academic leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Law and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors at the University of Jos. He has also held board positions in the private sector and served on national legal education bodies.
An accomplished author, Amupitan has published works on company law, evidence, and corporate governance, including “Corporate Governance: Models and Principles” and “Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria.” He is married with four children.
