The Senate on Thursday confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his approval by the National Council of State.
Amupitan was confirmed at the plenary presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The upper chamber approved Amupitan’s confirmation after hours of screening by several lawmakers, during which he responded to their questions.
Following his confirmation, Amupitan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, pledged to work with relevant agencies, including the National Identity Management Commission, to improve Nigeria’s electoral process.
Backstory
Nairametrics previously reported on October 9 that the National Council of State had approved Amupitan (SAN) as the new INEC Chairman.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued 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 was subsequently 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.
This development followed the appointment of May Agbamuche-Mbu as Acting National Chairman of INEC after Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure ended.
She currently chairs INEC’s Legal Services, Clearance, and Complaints Committee (LSCCC), 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. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, specializing in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He 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.
