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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According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the appointment makes Amupitan the first person from Kogi State to head the electoral body.
Council members, including state governors, former heads of state, and other national leaders, unanimously endorsed the nomination. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State welcomed the decision, noting that Amupitan’s integrity and knowledge of governance and law would strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s elections.
In line with the Constitution, President Tinubu will forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.