National Council of State has unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Professor Amupitan, who hails from the North-Central geopolitical zone, as the nominee to fill the position left vacant following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ran from 2015 until October 2025.
During the council meeting, President Tinubu noted that Amupitan is the first individual from Kogi State, North-Central, to be nominated for the chairmanship and stressed that the Professor is apolitical.
This assessment was supported by members of the Council, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo specifically describing Amupitan as a “man of integrity.”
In compliance with constitutional requirements, the President will now forward Professor Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Profile of the Nominee
Professor Amupitan, 58, is a highly distinguished academic and legal expert.
He was born on April 25, 1967, and is an indigene of Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State. He holds the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), which he attained in September 2014.
Amupitan is a Professor of Law and an alumnus of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau State. He specializes in crucial legal fields, including Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
He attended Kwara State Polytechnic (1982-1984). He was called to bar in 1988 after studying at the University of Jos and he also earned his LLM at University of Jos in 1993 and a PhD in 2007.
He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos. Concurrently, he is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
His was formerly Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014), Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014), and Head of Public Law (2006-2008) at the University of Jos.
Beyond his academic life, Professor Amupitan has served on the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014). He also holds a board membership at Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom.
A prolific author, his published works include books such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law(2013).
Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.
