The National Council of State has approved Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
According to the statement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan, a law professor from Kogi State, to the council to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who led INEC from 2015 to October 2025.
The council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, which will now be forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation in line with constitutional requirements.
“The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025,” the statement read in part.
It added, “Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity.”
This development follows the appointment of May Agbamuche-Mbu as Acting National Chairman of INEC on Tuesday, following the end of Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure.
She currently chairs INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee (LSCCC), a key portfolio responsible for overseeing legal compliance and candidate screening
Brief profile
Prof. Joash Amupitan is 58 years old and hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State, and is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos. He specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law, and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, and the University of Jos, where he earned his LLM in 1993 and PhD in 2007. He began his academic career in 1989 and has held key leadership roles at UNIJOS, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Head of Public Law, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors.
Outside academics, he serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
He has also held positions on corporate and legal boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited and the Council of Legal Education. He is married with four children.
