Breaking: Council of State Ratifies Prof Amupitan as New INEC Chairman

Breaking: Council of State Ratifies Prof Amupitan as New INEC Chairman

The National Council of State has endorsed the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu put forward Amupitan’s name to fill the vacancy left by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 until October 2025.

During the council meeting, President Tinubu highlighted that Amupitan is the first nominee from Kogi State in the North-Central zone to be considered for the role and emphasized his non-partisan stance.

The nomination received unanimous backing from council members, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing Amupitan as “a man of integrity.”

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

Professor Amupitan, aged 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State, and an alumnus of the same institution.

His areas of specialization include Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law. He attained the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.

Born on April 25, 1967, Amupitan completed his early education before attending Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin (1982–1984) and the University of Jos (1984–1987). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He later earned a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007. His academic career began in 1989 after completing his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation.

Currently, he serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, while also holding the position of Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.

His previous academic roles at UNIJOS include Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014), Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), and Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008).

Outside academia, Amupitan sits on the board of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, is a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and served on the Council of Legal Education from 2008 to 2014. He was also a board member of Riss Oil Limited in Abuja from 1996 to 2004.

He has authored several notable legal texts, including 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).