The National Council of State has approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the completion of Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure, which ended in October 2025.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan’s nomination during the Council’s meeting on Thursday at the State House in Abuja, describing him as an apolitical scholar and a man of integrity from the North-Central region.
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Here are five Things to Know about Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, the New INEC Chairman
1. He is from Kogi State
Professor Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
2. A Seasoned Legal Scholar
He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), where he specialises in Company Law, Corporate Governance, Privatisation Law, and the Law of Evidence. He began lecturing in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service with the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.
3. A Distinguished Legal Practitioner
Amupitan was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2014 — one of the highest honours in the legal profession.
4. Experienced Administrator and Board Member
At UNIJOS, he has held key leadership roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and currently, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). He also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, and sits on several boards, including Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the Council of Legal Education.
5. An Accomplished Author and Family Man
Professor Amupitan has authored notable legal texts such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Principles of Company Law (2013), and Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013). He is married and blessed with four children.