President Bola Tinubu has nominated Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), filling the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu in October 2025.
The National Council of State unanimously approved Amupitan’s appointment during a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Amupitan, aged 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, making him the first individual from the state to be nominated for this prominent role.
He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos and currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the university.
President Tinubu described the nominee as “apolitical and eminently qualified” to lead INEC. The Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, praised Amupitan as “a man of integrity whose wealth of experience will strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.”
In addition to his academic role, Amupitan is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014. His academic specialties include Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.
The next step requires the President to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation, in line with constitutional provisions.
His appointment marks a significant transition for INEC following Yakubu’s decade-long tenure overseeing Nigeria’s elections.
This leadership change is expected to reinforce the credibility and efficiency of Nigeria’s electoral system under Amupitan’s stewardship.
