The National Council of State has approved Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy.
According to the statement, President Bola Tinubu presented Professor Amupitan’s nomination to the Council during its meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, describing him as a distinguished legal scholar and a non-partisan professional with impeccable integrity.
“Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Professor Amupitan as a man of proven character and integrity,” the statement noted.
President Tinubu emphasized that Amupitan is the first nominee from Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, to be considered for the position of INEC Chairman.
In line with constitutional requirements, the President will now forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
Profile of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN
Born on April 25, 1967, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), he currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the institution and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
A seasoned academic and legal practitioner, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014.
After completing his primary and secondary education, Amupitan attended the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin (1982–1984), and later earned his LLB from the University of Jos (1984–1987). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and subsequently obtained his LLM (1993) and PhD (2007) from the same university.
He began his academic career in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation, and has since risen through the ranks to become one of Nigeria’s most respected legal scholars.
At the University of Jos, Amupitan has held several leadership positions, including:
Dean, Faculty of Law (2008–2014)
Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014)
Head, Department of Public Law (2006–2008)
Beyond academia, Amupitan has served on multiple corporate and professional boards, including:
Board Member, Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom
Member, Governing Council, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
Member, Council of Legal Education (2008–2014)
Former Board Member, Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996–2004)
Publications and Personal Life
Professor Amupitan is the author of several widely acclaimed 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)
An Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014)
He is married with four children.
Transition at INEC
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to October 2025, officially handed over on Tuesday to May Agbamuche-Mbu, the oldest serving National Commissioner, who will act as Interim INEC Chairman pending Amupitan’s confirmation by the Senate.
Yakubu’s decade-long tenure oversaw two general elections and several state polls, marking one of the most eventful periods in Nigeria’s electoral history.
About the Author
