The National Council of State has given its unanimous approval to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nomination of Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), marking a historic appointment for the North-Central region.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said President Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting on Thursday, noting that he is the first person from Kogi State to be nominated for the position. He described the nominee as an accomplished legal scholar and an apolitical figure with a strong record of integrity and leadership.
“Professor Amupitan’s nomination reflects our commitment to credible electoral leadership and institutional reforms,” Tinubu said.
Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State hailed Amupitan as “a man of proven integrity and competence,” adding that his appointment “will further deepen trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.”
Following the Council’s approval, President Tinubu is expected to forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation, in line with constitutional requirements.
Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at University of Jos and Pro-Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University.
A seasoned academic and legal expert, Amupitan has spent over three decades shaping Nigeria’s legal education and governance space. Called to the Bar in 1988, he earned his LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and obtained a PhD in 2007. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014.
He has held key positions at UNIJOS, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Head of Public Law, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors. Beyond academia, Amupitan has served on various legal and corporate boards, including the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and Integrated Dairies Limited.
The professor is also a prolific author, with works such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
His appointment follows the exit of Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.
