The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This was made known on Thursday, in a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
He said that President Bola Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s exit.
Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.
The statement said President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi, North-Central state, nominated to occupy the position and is apolitical.
“Council members unanimously supported the nomination, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as a man of integrity,” the statement added.
It added that in compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening.
Born on April 25, 1967, the 58-year-old Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also an alumnus of the university.
He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.
Amupitan earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.
He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).
He is married and has four children.
After completing two five-year terms, Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday handed over to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as the Acting National Chairman of the electoral commission pending the confirmation of Amupitan.
Agbamuche is the oldest serving National Commissioner in the electoral body.
