Council of State Approves Professor Joash Amupitan as New INEC Chairman

Abuja, October 9, 2025 — The National Council of State has unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Professor Amupitan to the Council during its meeting on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, to fill the position vacated by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

President Tinubu noted that Amupitan’s nomination marks the first time a candidate from Kogi State, in the North-Central region, has been chosen to lead the electoral body. He described the nominee as a seasoned academic and an apolitical professional with a distinguished record of integrity and service.

Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State commending Professor Amupitan as “a man of impeccable character and integrity.”
In line with constitutional provisions, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Professor Amupitan is a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He also serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

A distinguished legal scholar, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.

He obtained his LLB from the University of Jos in 1987, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, and later earned his LLM (1993) and PhD (2007) from the same institution. His academic journey began after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in 1989.

Throughout his career, Professor Amupitan has held several key positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and Head of the Department of Public Law at the University of Jos.

Beyond academia, he has served on various boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited, the Council of Legal Education, and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council.

A prolific author, his published works include Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013), among others.

Professor Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy)