The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the expiration of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure in October 2025.
The announcement was made by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Thursday, who disclosed that President Bola Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting at the State House, Abuja.
According to Onanuga, Amupitan’s nomination marks the first time a candidate from Kogi State, in the North-Central region, has been put forward for the position. President Tinubu described the nominee as “a distinguished scholar and an apolitical figure with impeccable integrity.”
The Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as “a man of exceptional character and competence.”
In line with constitutional requirements, the President is expected to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Born on 25 April 1967, Prof. Joash Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A seasoned academic, he currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) and also chairs the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A renowned authority in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, Amupitan earned his LL.B from the University of Jos in 1987 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He obtained an LL.M from the same institution in 1993 and a PhD in 2007.
His academic career began in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation. Over the years, he has held several leadership roles, including Dean, Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of Department, Public Law (2006–2008) at UNIJOS.
Beyond academia, Amupitan has served on several boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited, Riss Oil Limited, and the Council of Legal Education. He was also a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
An accomplished author, Amupitan has published several seminal works, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
Prof. Amupitan, who became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014, is married and blessed with four children.
