Tinubu Appoints Prof. Joash Amupitan as New INEC Chairman

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His appointment followed the approval of the National Council of State, marking the official end of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s 10-year tenure, which concluded earlier this month.

Professor Amupitan, a distinguished scholar and lawyer from Kogi State, currently serves as a Professor of Law at the University of Jos.

He is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan obtained his LL.B, LL.M, and Ph.D degrees in Law from the University of Jos.

He joined the institution as an Assistant Lecturer in 1989 and rose to become a full Professor in 2008.

A respected legal scholar, Amupitan became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014. His areas of specialization include Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.

Before his appointment, he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos and was a member of several National Legal bodies, including the Council of Legal Education and the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

President Tinubu’s choice of Amupitan has drawn attention from political observers, who see his appointment as a move to strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

The new INEC Chairman is expected to oversee key reforms within the commission ahead of upcoming off-cycle governorship elections.

His nomination will, however, require confirmation by the Senate before he formally assumes office.