President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday explained his decision to nominate Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing him as a man of integrity, impartiality, and distinguished public service.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja during the National Council of State meeting, President Tinubu noted that Amupitan is the first person from Kogi State to be nominated for the position.
The Council unanimously endorsed his appointment to succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose decade-long tenure ended earlier in the week.
“Kogi State’s Professor Amupitan embodies impartiality and a deep commitment to national service,” the President said, according to his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Council members, including former and serving leaders, commended Amupitan’s reputation for integrity and professionalism.
Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, also hailed the nominee as “a jurist dedicated to justice, knowledge, and service.”
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, where he currently serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), and also chairs the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.
He holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in Law from the University of Jos, after beginning his academic journey at the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, Amupitan was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014.
A prolific scholar, his notable publications include Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), and Principles of Company Law (2013).
Beyond academia, he has served on the boards of several institutions, including Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Council of Legal Education, and Riss Oil Limited. Colleagues describe him as “a jurist of quiet influence.”
Professor Amupitan is married with four children. Upon confirmation by the Senate, he will become Nigeria’s 15th Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
