The National Council of State has given unanimous approval for the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Professor Amupitan’s nomination during the council’s meeting on Thursday, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who had led the electoral body from 2015 until October 2025.
President Tinubu described the nominee as an accomplished academic and legal expert, noting that he is the first individual from Kogi State in the North-Central region to be nominated for the position.
The President also emphasized Amupitan’s non-partisan disposition, describing him as “eminently qualified and apolitical.”
Members of the Council of State unanimously endorsed the nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State praised Professor Amupitan as “a man of integrity and proven professionalism.”
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu is expected to forward the nominee’s name to the Senate for confirmation.
Born on April 25, 1967, Professor of Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he is also a Professor of Law.
Additionally, he is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
An alumnus of the University of Jos, Amupitan holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree obtained in 1987, a Master of Laws (LLM) from the same institution in 1993, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law earned in 2007. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 after attending the Nigerian Law School.
His academic career began in 1989, shortly after completing his National Youth Service with the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
Over the years, he has held several key positions at the University of Jos, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).
Outside academia, Amupitan has contributed significantly to national development through various governance and corporate roles.
He has served on the boards of Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and the Council of Legal Education. He was also a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja, between 1996 and 2004.
A respected scholar and author, Professor Amupitan has written several influential legal texts, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013), and An Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
Professor Amupitan, who became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014, is married and blessed with four children.
