Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) from the North-Central part of Nigeria has been nominated as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) according to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), on Thursday, October 9, 2025.

According to Onanuga in a State House Press Release, "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented Amupitan as the nominee to fill the vacant position, following Professor Mahmood Yakubu's exit. Yakubu served from 2015 till October 2025.

"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.

"In compliance with the constitution, President Tinubu will now send Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening," he added.

BACKGROUND OF THE INCOMING INEC CHAIRMAN:

Amupitan, who is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State, was born on April 25, 1967, and hails from Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State. He is also an alumnus of the university.

He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014, and specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. 

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.

He 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.

Currently, he 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).

Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).

Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles(2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013)  and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

He is married and has four children.

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