By Enyichukwu Enemanna
President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of a senior lawyer, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan as the new Chairman of Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received the approval of National Council of State, the presidency said in a statement on Thursday.
The appointment follows the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu who served from 2015 till October 2025, exhausting the maximum of his ten-year tenure as the West African nation’s electoral chief.
“Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity,” a statement from the Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said.
President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is the first person from Kogi, North-Central Nigeria, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.
In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu is expected to send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Born on April 25, 1967, the 58-year-old Amupitan 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. He is also an alumnus of the university.
He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).
Amupitan faces the daunting task of building the confidence of stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general elections in the West African largest democracy.
His predecessor faced questions over transmission mode of election results from polling units to central server. Contrary to earlier promises that it would be transmitted real-time, last minute glitches led to manual transmission, raising transparency concerns.
