The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Click Here to Join Our Whatsapp Channel

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination to the council to fill the vacancy left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

President Tinubu described Amupitan as apolitical and the first nominee from Kogi State to head the electoral body. The council endorsed the choice, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo commending him as “a man of integrity.”

In line with constitutional provisions, the President will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Amupitan, 58, from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, is a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos. He also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He has authored several legal texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).

His academic career began in 1989 after his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. He holds an LLM (1993) and a PhD (2007) from the University of Jos. Over the years, he has served in various 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 at UNIJOS.

Beyond academia, Amupitan has held positions on several boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education.

Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan is married with four children.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy
October 9, 2025