BREAKING: Council of State Backs Tinubu’s Nominee, Prof. Amupitan, as New INEC Chairman

The Council of State has approved President Tinubu’s nomination of Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) as INEC Chairman, pending Senate confirmation.

The National Council of State has 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).

A statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

Tinubu noted that Amupitan, a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, is the first person from Kogi State to be nominated for the position. He also described him as apolitical and a man of integrity. Members of the council unanimously endorsed his nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo also affirming his character and credibility.

In line with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

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Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is an academic of repute, specialising in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.

He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, as well as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

Throughout his academic career, he has held various leadership positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014) and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors at UNIJOS (2012–2014). Beyond academia, Amupitan has served on several corporate and legal boards, and he is the author of multiple books on law, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria.

Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan is married with four children.