Joash Amupitan INEC chairman nomination endorsed by Council of State as Tinubu cites integrity, apolitical stance and legal expertise

Joash Amupitan INEC chairman nomination has been formally endorsed by Nigeria’s National Council of State following President Bola Tinubu’s announcement on Thursday.

Also read: Yakubu steps down as INEC chairman after decade in office

Speaking at the State House in Abuja, Tinubu said his decision to nominate Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) was guided by the legal scholar’s apolitical character, integrity, and “impeccable record of service”.

“Amupitan is the first person from Kogi State to be nominated to this position. He is apolitical,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The appointment follows the conclusion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long tenure as INEC Chairman on Tuesday.

Council members, including former Heads of State and serving governors, unanimously supported the nomination, describing Amupitan as a man of “proven integrity”.

Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo added that the professor’s track record “reflects a deep commitment to justice, knowledge, and national service”.

With the Council’s backing, President Tinubu is expected to transmit Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation in line with constitutional provisions.

Aged 58, Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, where he currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).

He is also the Pro-Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

He earned his LL.B, LL.M, and PhD in law from the University of Jos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.

In 2014, he was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Amupitan is well-regarded in legal and academic circles for his scholarship in **corporate governance, company law, and evidence law.

His published works include Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008) and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013).

Beyond academia, he has served on various boards, including the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Council of Legal Education, and Integrated Dairies Ltd, Vom.

Between 1996 and 2004, he was a board member of Riss Oil Ltd, Abuja.

Colleagues describe the Kogi-born scholar as a “jurist of quiet influence”, known for his measured intellect and dedication to legal development in Nigeria.

Also read: Yakubu steps down as INEC chairman after decade in office

Upon Senate confirmation, Joash Amupitan will become Nigeria’s 15th INEC Chairman, tasked with leading the nation’s electoral body through upcoming reforms and future polls.

Joash Amupitan Named New INEC Chairman by Tinubu