Council Of State Endorses Professor Amupitan As New INEC Chairman

The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the approval followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presentation of Amupitan’s nomination to the Council during its meeting on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The nomination is to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

President Tinubu, while presenting the nominee, described Amupitan as the first person from Kogi State in the North-Central region to be nominated for the position, noting that he is a non-partisan scholar with an unimpeachable record of integrity.

Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo commending the President’s choice and describing Amupitan as “a man of integrity and competence.”

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

Born on April 25, 1967, Professor Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State, and currently serves as the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration).

He is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

A distinguished academic and legal scholar, Amupitan specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.

He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Jos in 1987 and was called to the bar in 1988. He obtained his Master of Laws (LLM) in 1993 and PhD in 2007, both from the University of Jos.

His academic career, which began in 1989, has seen him serve in several leadership roles at UNIJOS, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).

Why I Stepped Down As INEC Chairman – Mahmood

Outside academia, Professor Amupitan has held notable positions, including membership of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education.

He also sits on the board of Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom, and previously served on the board of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja.

A prolific author, he has published several books on Nigerian law, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013), and Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.