The National Council of State has given its approval to the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The nomination, presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during Thursday’s Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, follows the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described Professor Amupitan as a distinguished academic and legal luminary with no political affiliations, noting that his appointment marks the first time a person from Kogi State has been nominated to head the nation’s electoral body.
The Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, commending the choice, describing Amupitan as “a man of impeccable integrity and proven competence.”
In line with constitutional provisions, the President will now forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Professor Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, Plateau State, and is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A Professor of Law at the University of Jos and an alumnus of the same institution, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Corporate Governance, Privatisation Law, and Law of Evidence. He earned his PhD from the University of Jos in 2007 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
Over his distinguished academic career, Amupitan has held several leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law.
Beyond academia, he has contributed to national development through various board and council appointments, including the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, the Council of Legal Education, and Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom.
A prolific author, Professor Amupitan has written several influential books, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
He is married and blessed with four children.
