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The National Council of State has unanimously approved Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga announced the confirmation on X on Thursday.
President Bola Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination to the Council during its meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The appointment follows the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s 10-year tenure in October 2025.
Tinubu highlighted that the 58-year-old Professor of Law from Kogi State is the first individual from North-Central Nigeria to be appointed to lead INEC.
Professor Amupitan, a distinguished scholar of law, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Currently serving as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, he boasts over three decades of distinguished service in both academia and legal practice. His journey at the University began in 1989 when he joined as an Assistant Lecturer. Through years of dedication and excellence, he advanced to the position of Reader in 2003 and was later elevated to the rank of Professor of Law in 2008.
According to records from the University of Jos, Professor Amupitan obtained all his academic qualifications — Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees in Law — from the same institution. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 after completing his training at the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.
His professional and scholarly interests encompass the Law of Evidence, Corporate Law, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. In recognition of his immense contributions to the legal profession, he was honoured with the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014.
Beyond the classroom, Professor Amupitan has been deeply involved in university administration and national service. He has served as Dean of the Faculty of Law, Head of the Department of Public Law, and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors at the University of Jos. His leadership also extended beyond the university, representing the institution on several key bodies such as the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, where he served as a member of the Governing Council.
Before his recent nomination, he was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
An accomplished researcher and author, Professor Amupitan has published and co-authored over 50 academic works covering corporate governance, electoral law reform, and petroleum industry legislation. He has successfully supervised numerous doctoral and master’s candidates, nurturing the next generation of legal minds.
His professional affiliations include membership in the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.
Outside academia, he has lent his expertise to several boards, among them Integrated Dairies Limited, Riss Oil Limited, and the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
Professor Amupitan is married to Dr (Mrs) Yemisi Amupitan, and together they are blessed with four children.
