The National Council of State has unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central zone as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as his nominee to fill the position left vacant by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC chairman from 2015 until October 2025.
During the Council of State meeting on Thursday, President Tinubu informed members that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi State in the North-Central region to be nominated for the position and emphasized that he is apolitical.
Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.
In accordance with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will now 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. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos in Plateau State and also an alumnus of the institution.
His areas of specialization include Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He was conferred with the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan completed his primary and secondary education before attending Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984. He then proceeded to the University of Jos, where he studied from 1984 to 1987, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
He earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Jos in 1993 and a Ph.D. in 2007. His academic career began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation from 1988 to 1989.
Currently, Amupitan serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos while simultaneously holding the position of Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Throughout his career at the University of Jos, he has held several key administrative positions, including Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors from 2012 to 2014, Dean of the Faculty of Law from 2008 to 2014, and Head of Public Law from 2006 to 2008.
Beyond academia, Amupitan has served on various boards, including as a member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education from 2008 to 2014. He was also a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja, from 1996 to 2004.
Amupitan is a prolific author with several published works on 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).
He is married with four children.
The announcement was made in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on October 9, 2025.
Amupitan’s appointment comes at a critical juncture as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections and continues efforts to strengthen its electoral system through ongoing reforms.
