The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination during the Council’s meeting on Thursday, following the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure, which ran from 2015 to October 2025.
In a statement made available to The News Chronicle, Tinubu described Amupitan as an “apolitical man of proven integrity” and the first nominee from the North-Central state of Kogi to head the electoral body. The council’s approval was unanimous, with Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, also endorsing the nominee’s character and credentials.
In line with constitutional provisions, the President will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Aged 58, Amupitan is a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, he has also served as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
His academic and professional background spans company law, corporate governance, and evidence law, with several published works to his name, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria.
Born in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan has held multiple leadership positions within the University of Jos and national legal institutions.
He is married and blessed with four children.
