The National Council of State has approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) of the University of Jos, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). His nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Amupitan, a Professor of Law, is from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is the first nominee from Kogi and the North-Central region to be considered for the position.
He holds an LLB, LLM, and PhD in Law from the University of Jos, where he has spent most of his academic career. He was called to the Bar in 1988 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014. He joined the University of Jos as a lecturer in 1989 and has held several academic and administrative positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Law and Head of the Department of Public Law.
Amupitan is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State. He has served on various national legal and corporate bodies, including the Council of Legal Education, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and the boards of Integrated Dairies Ltd and Riss Oil Ltd.
He has authored several books and publications in corporate governance, evidence law, and company law.
The nomination follows the end of the tenure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as INEC Chairman from 2015 to 2025.
