Why I Picked Amupitan as INEC Chair – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday explained that his nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was guided by Amupitan’s apolitical stance, integrity, and distinguished record of service.

Speaking at the State House, Abuja, during a meeting of the National Council of State, Tinubu said Amupitan is the first person from Kogi State to be nominated for the position. The council unanimously endorsed the nomination, which will see Amupitan succeed Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose ten-year tenure ended earlier this week.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, quoted the President as saying that Amupitan’s apolitical approach and impeccable credentials make him an ideal candidate for the top electoral role. Council members, including serving and former leaders, described Amupitan as a man of proven integrity. Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo praised his track record, noting it reflects “a deep commitment to justice, knowledge, and national service.”

Aged 58, Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area, Kogi State. He is a professor of law at the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he also serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration). Additionally, he is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State.

Amupitan earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees in law from the University of Jos after earlier studies at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and has had a career spanning more than three decades in academia and administration. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and has published extensively on company law, corporate governance, and evidence law. Notable works 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).

Amupitan has also served on the boards of Integrated Dairies Limited, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Council of Legal Education, and Riss Oil Limited. Described by colleagues as “a jurist of quiet influence,” he is married with four children. Following Senate confirmation, he will become Nigeria’s 15th INEC chairman.