The National Council of State has unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), paving the way for a historic appointment from the North-Central region.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination to fill the vacancy left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC Chairman ended in October 2025 after a decade of service.
President Tinubu hailed Amupitan as an apolitical figure and the first Kogi indigene to be nominated for the role, emphasizing his integrity and qualifications.
The council’s endorsement was echoed by Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who described Amupitan as “a man of integrity” poised to lead Nigeria’s electoral body with credibility.
In line with constitutional requirements, Amupitan’s nomination will now be forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation.The 58-year-old legal luminary, born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA, Kogi State, is a distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Jos, where he currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).
An alumnus of the same institution, Amupitan earned his LLB from 1984 to 1987, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, and later obtained an LLM (1993) and PhD (2007).
His academic career, which began in 1989, includes roles such as Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014) and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014).
He also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.A Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatization Law.
His extensive publications include 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 Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
Beyond academia, he has served on boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014).
Married with four children, Amupitan’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral integrity. As the nation awaits Senate confirmation, his leadership is expected to usher in a new era of transparency and efficiency in INEC’s operations.
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